Liam Lindsay thought North End were “different class defensively” against Hull City, starting with an aggressive press at the top of the pitch.
It was clear from the very start of the goalless draw that Preston North End were trying to catch the Tigers playing out from the back, and even Liam himself at centre half was part of that.
North End couldn’t quite take advantage, though, and having stayed strong at the other end to secure consecutive clean sheets, Liam and his teammates extended the unbeaten run to seven.
Liam said: “We tried to nick the ball high up the pitch, but we couldn’t quite manage to do that today, or if we did, they managed to win it back.
“The plan was to press them all over the park and I think we actually did it really well, but we just didn’t quite nick it high enough.
“I think we were different class defensively, not just the defenders, but I think everyone was. They’ve got threats just like every team and they have individuals who can create something out of nothing, and we kept them relatively quiet.”
Hull City arrived at Deepdale occupying the final Play-Off spot and three points ahead of North End, meaning it was a fixture which had a part to play in the top six picture.
PNE, who have closed the gap to the Play-Offs in recent weeks, saw it as a good opportunity to get even closer, but Liam was satisfied enough to have at least drawn the game.
He said: “If they get three points it potentially gives us a bit of a mountain to climb with the fixtures we’ve got coming up. We’ve got a clean sheet and a point, so I think we’re all happy in there.
“It was always going to be a tough game; I think everyone knew that. I think we edged it but couldn’t find a goal. Fred (Freddie Woodman) has done really well with a couple of their snapshots, but overall, I think we take the point and move on.”
Next up for the Lilywhites is a long journey to Southampton to face a side pushing for automatic promotion and an instant return to the Premier League.
In the reverse fixture between the two, North End put in one of the best performances of the campaign and looked as though they’d done enough to take all three points, until a 96th-minute own goal meant the points were shared.
Liam said: “Especially with how we did against Southampton here, I thought we did more than enough to win the game.
“If we put in a performance like that in again against them, then I don’t see any reason why we can’t pick up the points.”
