Ryan Lowe expecting apology from referee after ‘gutting’ Preston North End draw against Southampton

Preston North End manager Ryan Lowe was gutted to see his side denied a win in the 96th minute of Wednesday night’s clash with Southampton.

The Lilywhites were pegged back to 2-2 with one of the last kicks of the game - a cruel Brad Potts own goal seeing the Saints take a point after Preston’s number 44 had fired PNE ahead earlier in the half. North End came from behind thanks to goals from Milutin Osmajic and Potts, and looked on course for three points. But, there was a late sting in the tail with a Southampton corner finding its way into the back of the hosts’ net.

Post-match, Lowe was deflated but proud. He was pleased with the bravery and courage shown by his team against a relegated side packed with quality and invidiual talent. The North End boss did, though, bemoan a major decision which went against his men. Kyle Walker-Peters had broken the deadlock on 33 minutes, but the ball then struck his hand just before half-time - with Will Keane denied a certain equaliser on the goal line. Referee Jeremy Simpson waved away appeals and Preston headed in at the break behind.

“Yeah listen, I am proud of the boys first and foremost,” said Lowe. “We changed shape after a couple of days working on it. They stuck to the plan very well. We went behind to a great goal on their behalf; sloppy from ours but the kid is a good player isn’t he? Second half, we knew we weren’t getting Mads (Frokjaer) on the ball as much as we’d have liked - and they were causing us a few problems, so we needed another body up there who could make more runs in behind. Lo and behold, we score two fantastic goals and then it’s a suckerpunch towards the end.

“We’ll have a look at it, but no complaints on my behalf. Can we see the game out? Yeah, possibly. It wasn’t to be, but I think we should’ve been at 1-1 in the first half - because we should’ve had a stonewall penalty, after watching it back. It’s going in the net and when you don’t get given them... we will probably get an apology tomorrow, for that one. We’ve already had an apology for Saturday’s (handball by Millwall’s Brooke Norton-Cuffy). But I don’t know; if we aren’t going to get any help from anyone, we have to help ourselves and be a little bit better.

“We were outstanding in everything we did. We knew we weren’t going to have large parts of the ball, because that is what they do. Lo and behold, they score an equaliser from a corner. It’s an own goal off Liam Lindsay or Pottsy; definitely not Ched (Evans). Three of them attack the ball and that is disappointing on our behalf. The lads are on the floor with that, but I’ve had to lift them up and tell them: ‘what a performance’. They were fantastic. I don’t like to make excuses and I’m not looking for sorrys or favours. I just want the game to be officiated in the right way.

“There were a couple of things which went on and I wasn’t quite happy about it, but again, it won’t be the first and it probably won’t be the last. I have got a good relationship with Jez (Simpson). We have a laugh and a joke and we spoke in the summer when he sent two players off at Fleetwood - he did that game and he sent one of ours off and one of theirs off. I just shook his hand and said: ‘Well done, but I expect an apology’. He said: ‘Right Ryan, if I feel there is an apology to make I will make it’. But, it’s gutting isn’t it when you know? We’ve watched it back and seen the still. The ‘keeper saves it with his leg, it’s going in the side netting and the kid uses his arm. Whether it is intentional or not... but it is handball.”