Preston North End boss: Millwall deserved the Championship victory

Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom admitted that his side deserved nothing in yesterday’s 3-1 defeat at Millwall.

The Lions went into a 3-0 lead early in the second half with George Honeyman, Romain Esse and Macaulay Langstaff all scoring.

Jordan Storey did cut the deficit but the visitors only enjoyed more possession and control once the hosts had eased off the intensity.

“We got what we deserved, really,” said Heckingbottom. “Starting like that – we were really slow to start and Millwall imposed their style of play on us.

“Their first goal, as poor as it was on our part, we had spoken so much about their set-plays and threat. You can’t always stop (Jake) Cooper heading the ball but more often then not it is whoever he heads it down to in the area that is the danger. We spoke about that a lot. To concede that goal is really poor on our part.

“But it was coming – they had already hit the bar. We’d had a few warnings. I felt that shook us into life and we had a couple of good moments after that.

“Then the second goal is a counter attack from our set play. You go 2-0 down it is difficult, especially here, because then Millwall can sit in and deny the space.

“I made the changes at half-time. We created a good chance and then 60 seconds later you are 3-0 down, again from being outcompeted. Joe Bryan just steams through our players.

“Millwall got the points today and deserved it. If you are outcompeted and outfought you are not going to win football matches and for 46 minutes that was the case.”