Preston manager Ryan Lowe felt a “moment of brilliance” was the only thing missing from his side’s performance as their winning streak came to an end with a 1-1 draw at Rotherham.
North End’s red-hot form had seen them win their last six games and emerge as the early leaders in the Championship.
But a goal from one-time Preston forward Jordan Hugill put them on the back foot in South Yorkshire and, although they managed to level before the break through Liam Lindsay, a winning goal proved elusive.
Lowe said: “It’s a fantastic point for us.
“We know coming here was always going to be tough. We would have loved three points, of course, but we say if you can’t win it, don’t lose it.
“We thought we opened them up quite a bit to get the winner, but it wasn’t to be.
“We were disappointed to concede, but it’s a great goal from Jordan. Credit where it’s due.
“I thought they had some flashes and good moments, but we were the team looking to win it. I thought we had the opportunities.
“We just did not have that moment of brilliance. We probably could not have done any more other than put it in the back of the net.”
Milutin Osmajic had a golden opportunity to put Preston in front when he was found by Duane Holmes, but his close-range header was kept out by Viktor Johansson.
Instead, Hugill gave the Millers the lead after 35 minutes with a stunning solo goal, holding off a challenge before lashing a shot into the top corner from 25 yards out.
Tyler Blackett then stopped Lindsay’s flicked header from crossing the line.
Preston’s set-pieces caused no end of problems for the home side and Lindsay rose highest from a wicked delivery from Robbie Brady to head in the equaliser on the stroke of half-time.
There were fewer chances in the second period, but it was Preston pushing to get the winner.
They almost got it when Brad Potts’ dangerous cross was turned against a post by a diving Blackett.
Millers manager Matt Taylor said: “It was a good game of football. Things seemed to go against us at certain moments.
“They’re a good team and you can see that.
“We had to rejig things at half-time and tried to go toe-to-toe with a very good team. I did not envisage having that defence in the second half, but it was a case of needs must. Tyler was what I want him to be, a man mountain.
“The most sensible thing was to go to a back five, but it had legs about it. It’s certainly a formation I have used in the past. We have got to keep finding ways to adapt during games.
“It was more of a structured game. It was not pretty for the first 20 minutes, but it was solid.
“It was not spectacular in any way, but it calmed a few bodies down. Then the game disconnects and space appears.”
Taylor will now face a touchline ban after picking up a booking for complaining about decisions.
He added: “I have to somehow find a way of highlighting the deficiencies. It’s my third booking now.
“I will keep getting fined and paying them. Somebody has got to stand up for Rotherham United. I have to fight for my players.
“We have got full-time referees at Championship level, but it doesn’t look like it.
“Will anything get done? Time will tell.”
Harwood-Bellis and Hall included in Carsley's final England squad
England interim boss Lee Carsley has named the final Three Lions squad of his tenure before Thomas Tuchel takes the reins at the start of next year.
Carsley handed first senior call-ups to Southampton's Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Newcastle's Lewis Hall for their Nations League fixtures against Greece and the Republic of Ireland.
Harwood-Bellis has played in all the Saints' Premier League fixtures so far this season, and is someone Carsley knows well.
The defender made 21 appearances under Carsley with England's Under-21's side, more than any other player during his time in charge.
Hall has also been in fine form. His 11 successful crosses and 15 chances created are totals only bettered by Anthony Gordon (15 and 20) in the Premier League for Newcastle.
The only other uncapped player in the squad is Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones, while there is no place for Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers.
Cole Palmer has also been handed a place in the 26-man squad despite missing Chelsea training this week after picking up a knock against Manchester United at the weekend.
Kobbie Mainoo misses out through injury along with Manchester City's John Stones. Nick Pope was also dropped from the squad, with Aaron Ramsdale coming in.
England face Group B2 leaders Greece in Athens on November 14 before rounding off their Nations League campaign at Wembley against Ireland three days later.
England squad in full:
Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Southampton); Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Levi Colwill (Chelsea), Rico Lewis (Manchester City), Kyle Walker (Manchester City), Lewis Hall (Newcastle), Taylor Harwood-Bellis (Southampton); Conor Gallagher (Atletico Madrid), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest), Angel Gomes (Lille), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Curtis Jones (Liverpool); Jack Grealish (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Noni Madueke (Chelsea), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa), Dominic Solanke (Tottenham).
Mbappe left out of France squad as 'one-off'
Kylian Mbappe has been left out of France's squad for their upcoming Nations League matches, with Didier Deschamps saying it is a "one-off decision".
Mbappe played the full 90 minutes in Real Madrid's 3-1 defeat to Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday, and Deschamps did not say if the forward was injured.
The France captain also missed Les Bleus' last two matches, being rested despite his return to fitness in time for the October international break, with Mbappe coming under scrutiny for his absence.
The 25-year-old has struggled for form as of late, and although he has scored eight goals in 15 appearances since joining Madrid, he has hit the back of the net just once in his last six outings.
"I've had discussions with him, it is a decision that I took for this block of matches only," Deschamps told a press conference on Thursday. "Kylian wanted to come."
Meanwhile, Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier has received his first call-up, replacing Alphonse Areola in the squad. There are also recalls for Adrien Rabiot and N'Golo Kante as the injured Aurelien Tchouameni misses out.
France face Israel in the first of their two games on November 14 before finishing their Nations League Group A2 campaign against Italy three days later.
France squad in full:
Lucas Chevalier (Lille), Mike Maignan (Milan), Brice Samba (Lens), Jonathan Clauss (Nice), Lucas Digne (Aston Villa), Wesley Fofana (Chelsea), Theo Hernandez (Milan), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool), Jules Kounde (Barcelona), William Saliba (Arsenal), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich), Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid), Matteo Guendouzi (Lazio), N'Golo Kante (Al-Ittihad), Manu Kone (Roma), Adrien Rabiot (Marseille), Warren Zaire-Emery (PSG), Bradley Barcola (PSG), Randal Kolo Muani (PSG), Christopher Nkunku (Chelsea), Michael Olise (Bayern Munich), Marcus Thuram (Inter).
Kompany unbothered by modest scoreline as Bayern beat Benfica
Vincent Kompany was pleased with the way Bayern Munich attacked at home to Benfica in the Champions League on Wednesday, despite only winning 1-0.
The victory ended a run of back-to-back defeats for the German team in the competition, leaving them 17th in the league with six points from four matches.
"It's important for us to win a game this way. In the past, we always scored three, four or five goals, but today we stayed calm," Kompany told the official club website.
"We had 24 shots on goal and the opposition had one. Not every finish was dangerous, but we controlled the game. There are games in which the last pass just isn't as precise as necessary.
"We know we can decide matches within the first five minutes if we're on good form. That didn't happen today. But in the end, it's the Champions League. It was a good game and a good win."
Midfielder Jamal Musiala scored the only goal of the game in the 67th minute, turning home Harry Kane's knockdown after Leroy Sane had played the ball across the box.
Sane is yet to start a game in any competition for Bayern this season, coming on in the 56th minute on Wednesday, but his contribution was not lost on Kompany.
"Obviously, I'm really happy to have the quality of Leroy Sane and Michael Olise in the same position - not to forget Kingsley Coman and Serge Gnabry. You can say Leroy turned this game around today," he said.
The goalscorer Musiala, meanwhile, was pleased after scoring his fifth goal in all competitions for the club this season.
“We had good moments, but the opposition played and defended well. Of course, there are still things we can improve, but it's important to have won the three points," he said.
"I don't know what's going on with me scoring headers at the moment. The ball dropped nicely for me a few times and I just keep trying to get into good positions I can score easy goals from.
"We all knew we had to win tonight and we did a good job. We had a tough time settling into the game, but we can't win by four or five goals every time. Sometimes a 1-0 win has to be enough.”
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