Steve Morison praises both Cardiff City and Preston North End after Championship draw

North End were not at their best at Cardiff but picked up a point and kept a clean sheet. The home side had the better of the game and the chances, although both sides did hit the post.

The home side had more shots, more shots on target and more possession that PNE, who failed to hit the target at all.

It was the third game in a row that the Bluebirds had failed to score and the fifth of six games for Ryan Lowe’s side.

The challenge for Cardiff on the day was to break the deadlock, as North End’s defending this season has been exceptional but Morison knows it’s now onto someone else to try and break the Lilywhites down.

He said: “Preston were solid, they worked hard and were tough to break down. We did our best, we didn't manage and it's now on to the next team to try and manage it.

"You think it's only a matter of time but then you're always wary that you don't concede one yourself. They've got really good players.

"From our point of view we did really well, we did everything but score and we stopped the goal going in the back of the net as well. It was a pleasing afternoon.”

“I don't know how to break them down because we didn't manage it. It was an excellent performance we just didn't cap it off with a goal.

"They defended their box really well and if we play like that we'll win more than we lose. At the end of the day, I've said it many times, it's about the performance first and the result will follow.”

Morison was left cursing his side’s luck a little bit after the game, as their dominance turned into nothing more than a point.

He felt a bit aggrieved that a penalty was not given in the second half, as the ball, he felt, struck a North End arm as one of his players aimed for the far corner.

"Our performance was excellent, to a man we were fantastic,” he said.

"We just didn't get the one to fall to you or have that moment - well, we had a moment where even one of their defenders saved it and stopped it from going in.

"If we keep playing like that we'll win more than we lose. If you look at the chance where Rubin [Colwill] looks to bend it, the guy puts his hand out and stops it from going in the bottom corner.

"Niels [Nkounkou] at the end, he does a pirouette and if he even mis-hits that it goes in the bottom corner. Everyone in our team had a chance today, they put their bodies on the line and defended really well.

"They defended crosses well, it was just one fo those days. They were trying to get something on the counter attack when we were in possession but I thought the lads were brave from the start.

"We mixed our game up, we went long, we went short, we went round, we went through. The ball just didn't hit the back of the net.”