John Eustace says Blackburn Rovers will have to work to find better solutions after failing to break down ten-man Preston North End.

Rovers had to settle for a point despite having a man advantage for 45 minutes at Deepdale. They dominated the ball in that period but didn't do enough to prize open a rigid North End defence.

They defended their box for their lives and Rovers simply did not show enough quality to create the openings. That was a frustration for Eustace, who felt it was a lack of guile rather than endeavour that kept the score level.


"We didn't create enough in the final third, they were down to ten men and it's something we have to work on," he said.

"We had the best chance of the game and limited them to no chances at all in the first half, bar the header at the end which Pearsy made a good save.

"It's a local derby and often form and quality can go out the window a little bit. It's the team who wants to stay in the game the most and we had some difficult moments but we were good.

"Preston are a very experienced team in the Championship, you have to remember that. They like to defend and we knew it would be difficult to break them down.

"We were missing that quality in the final third. They're an experienced Preston team. We have to find better solutions and better answers to break teams down when they're like that.

"There is lots to work on from that side and we're disappointed not to make the advantage count. We have to look at the positives, back-to-back clean sheets, we made the changes to try and change the game.

"It is something that we have to work on. We have to be better at that and we will throughout the season."

On the positive side, it's another game unbeaten for Rovers. Only three teams remain that way in the Championship, West Brom and Sheffield United as well as Eustace's men.

It was back-to-back clean sheets for Rovers too, which was deserved after they limited Preston to very few clear-cut chances.

They were under pressure in the first 35 minutes but without giving much away. It was only at the end of that half that Aynsley Pears had much to do. 

Eustace was delighted with the character and spirit Rovers showed in that period, whilst acknowledging they should've been better with the ball.

"Six games unbeaten is a very positive start to the season, let's get that right. Two local derbies and it doesn't matter whether they have ten men, it will always be a hostile environment coming here," he said.

"The fans were right behind them, Paul is an excellent manager and got them right up for the game. Our group is still learning, still developing.

"For the first 40 minutes, we struggled to get out and we missed the physical presence which we had at Burnley and that helped us get out.

"That's something we will look at but the boys stuck to their task which was pleasing and we still had a very good chance. I didn't think we were good enough on the ball today but the lads dug deep.

"I am proud of the performance, the character. The 6,000 fans behind the goals were excellent and they got us through difficult moments in that first half where they had pressure.

"Six games unbeaten is a great sign going into the next game. The side we showed from a defensive point of view today was very, very good. We limited them to next to nothing and we'll move on."