Manager Ryan Lowe feels his side are “getting there”, but he was left frustrated by missed chances in the score draw against Millwall.
Preston North End shared the points with the Lions at Deepdale, with visiting defender Murray Wallace scoring an early own goal before heading home at the other end.
Both sides had chances to win the game – with PNE’s best arguably falling to Sean Maguire in the second half – but it ended a point apiece.
Speaking to iFollow PNE, Ryan said: “It was frustrating a little bit. It was entertaining for the fans, it was exciting, but I was frustrated a little bit with the lack of quality in the final third with the chances [we created], but we’re getting there.
“We’re getting in some good areas and on another day you score three or four. I said that last week against Queens Park Rangers.
“I just spoke to Gary [Rowett] there and he said ‘well done, good team, good football’ and they’re the compliments you want.
“But ultimately if we put the ball in the back of the net one more time we take three points rather than one.
“I’m pleased with the attitude, application and desire to try and win. I said I’m a little bit disappointed with the lack of quality in the final third, so we need to be a little bit better, but it’s seven points out of a possible nine so I’m pleased.”
The Lilywhites got off to a great start in the game, almost scoring within the first couple of minutes through Brad Potts, before Daniel Johnson’s cross was inadvertently put over the line by defender Wallace six minutes in.
“I don’t care who scores as long as it goes in,” he admitted. “We worked on those patterns of play yesterday and the day before, getting in them areas with low crosses.
“We don’t want to put high crosses in, they’re all over six foot so if you put them in they just head it.
“I said if you get in them areas with pull-backs, little low crosses, you’ll find a way into the net, so for me I don’t care who scores as long as we win or get a point, and today we’ve got a point but possibly could have had three.”
Starting fast was part of the game-plan, as Patrick Bauer told iFollow PNE, and that’s something Ryan is looking for more of going forward.
First-half goals have been few and far between in his time at the club so far, with the own goal making it the earliest his side have gone ahead since he took over last December.
On the fast start, he said: “We had to because when teams are coming to us, coming from London or wherever they’re coming from, we’ve got to be on the front foot.
“We’re at home, we’ve got to take it to them. We’ve got to get the fans off their seats, we’ve got to make it happen on the pitch to get our fans screaming and shouting and we did.
“If we continue to do that then it’ll be more of a fortress. You want teams coming here going ‘they’re fast them, they’re great starters’, but ultimately you can see the work in progress and what we’re trying to do and where we’re trying to get to.”
You can watch the manager's interview in full on iFollow PNE above.