Warne said: “I think the lads did enough to get a draw. Smithy had a great chance in the first half which smacked the post and their keeper has made a great save off Vas (Kyle Vassell).

“But we got a deserved goal and I think we were more than deserving of a point to be honest.

“I was disappointed with the first half, I thought we took too many chances in the middle of the pitch which I’d told my lads not to.

“I just didn’t think we were quick enough and forceful enough in the first half and I asked us to play differently in the second half.

“But this group have unbelievable character. I’m really pleased with what they’re trying to do here.

“After we rode the initial storm we were really in the game. It was disappointing we conceded the goal when we did because we were having a good spell. We were on the front foot.

“In the second half we were really good. I thought we were the team who was going to win it.”

Smith clattered the upright on 14 minutes – his low, curling effort from 25 yards beating Chris Maxwell’s dive but spinning wide off the post.

It was from a corner Barkhuizen headed Preston in front five minutes before half-time, getting in front of his marker to flick Callum Robinson’s cross into the far corner.

Smith levelled in the second half, controlling Ryan Williams’ right-wing cross at the near post before firing high into the net.

Preston manager Alex Neil said: “I think it’s a frustrating afternoon. It was never going to be a real footballing game. I watched Rotherham against Middlesbrough and they make it difficult for you.

“They turn the ball and they play to their strengths basically. They’ve got two big centre-forwards who are big and powerful.

“I’m frustrated because I think we can play a lot better collectively and individually than we did, but a positive to take from it is that is five games unbeaten for us. If you’re not going to win, you need to make sure you’re not beat.

“It’s important because you can’t lose against teams around you, certainly not at home. They really are six pointers, but we set out to win today.

“We didn’t want to draw. We threw caution to the wind at the end. Unfortunately, we didn’t really show the quality we do have to force the issue to get the goal.

“To be fair, I thought we had enough to get the [second] goal. Callum’s chance, when he just drifted off the back of the full-back, I expected him to put that in the back of the net. Some of our decision making in that final third of the pitch really prevented us from going on to win the game.”

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