Assistant Manager Glynn Snodin was left with a feeling of a job well done at full-time as North End claimed a point at Brunton Park.
Despite being reduced to ten men with 25 minutes remaining when Nicky Wroe receiving his marching orders for a second bookable offence, Preston never looked in any real danger of conceding again and they continued to dominate and press for the winner.
But the management and players were pleased to get a point from the game in the circumstances.
“It could have been more than one point,” said Snodin.
“I thought we controlled the first-half.
“We came here and dominated and created chances.
“Even in the second-half when we had a sending off, I thought the shape of the team was fantastic.
“There was great camaraderie between the lads and the fighting spirit that they showed when they went down to ten men.
“They have got a good battling spirit and attitude in them.
“We are trying to get that other side of them where we can control games and pass through games and pass teams off the field and to be fair, since we have come here, not only in this game but in the last six weeks or so they have done what we asked.
“We got balls in that last third and we were just saying to them over the last few weeks ‘be more ruthless in that box’, because defensively, not just the back four but as a team, they have been magnificent and not conceding many goals.
“And like I said, it is down that other end were we are hoping to capitalise on it and win two and three-nil like we have done in the last couple of games at home.
“It was a team performance.
“I thought Jack King led the line well up front, he were magnificent, fighting with the two centre halves and bringing players into it, same with John Welsh in the middle of the park, but it is a team effort at the end of the day.”
Jeffrey Monakana gave North End an early lead before Lee Miller drew the hosts level as half-time approached.
Then with the game finely balanced, Wroe was sent off for clipping Mark Gillespie in the Carlisle goal as he chased a through ball.
Speaking of the main incidents in the game Glynn continued: “It was frustrating to be pegged back because we were in control of it, but it was a good free kick from the boy and when it is only one-nil that can happen, a slip, a mistake, or a set play and the game changes then.
“I thought it was a great goal, Jeff showed flashes of what he can do today as well and like I said, that was a great goal by him to be fair.
“The sending off didn’t make that much difference.
“I thought they would come at us then and control the game but again, we were ok, we kept us shape well, we went forward at the right time, but made it difficult for Carlisle as well.
“Nicky got in there and it was spur of the moment and I thought it was a sending off.
“We always keep going for it because that is the philosophy we have.
“We are not defensively minded although we still like to keep our shape but play from our shape and then if you get the chance make sure you capitalise on it.
“When you have got a player like Jeff who has got a bit of pace and flashes, hopefully we can get him going for 70, 80, 90 minutes.
“I think it did get feisty especially in the second half it got going a bit, but that’s what you want from football, you want teams to battle and scrap at times and sometimes it is nice when referees do let things go and you don’t getting sending's off.”
The Lilywhites now find themselves six points from a top half finish; a remarkable achievement considering North End’s league position prior to the managerial change.
And Snodin is eager to sneak a top 12 finish.
He continued: “Our aim is the top half, that’s what we are looking for and we are just about there now so hopefully we get a few more wins and we can get there.”
“It is going well, we can’t ask for anything better from a management side and from the players’ side everything is going well at the minute in training and on the pitch.”
Snodin has previously spent time as part of the Carlisle management team and was pleased to return to his former hunting ground to see some familiar faces.
“It is always good to go back to a place you know well.
“There are one or two I still know so it is nice to see one or two of the old faces.
“When I was here they were a good club, a big club with some good players and I really enjoyed my time there.”