Declan: We’re all done in
SHUT OUT: Preston keeper Rudd saves a Ryan Yates header DECLAN RUDD admits Preston’s shock midweek win against Norwich left them too tired to face Nottingham Forest.
North End’s 3-1 win over the leaders knocked the stuffing out of them, mentally and physically, according to goalkeeper Rudd.
“Going into the game there was a lot of fatigue” said Rudd.
“We were probably all a little bit tired. There were tired bodies, but most of all there were some tired minds.
“Sometimes that is harder to overcome than a tired body.”
Preston are now undefeated in seven games.
Boss Alex Neil said: “If someone had told us we would get the results we have done over the last seven games and played the way we have we would have been buzzing.”
Forest boss Martin O’Neill felt his side had chucked away two points.
He laid the blame with referee Tim Robinson for ruling out Joe Lolley’s 78th-minute strike for a foul on Rudd by Ryan Yates in the build-up.
It is the second game in a row that the Forest manager has been left feeling cheated after Dwight Gayle won a late penalty by diving in their 2-2 draw with West Brom.
“The keeper spilt the ball and it was there to fight for,” he said.
“We have been robbed of all three points again. That is four points in two games.
“It should have counted and I told the ref after that game that he should look at it again.
“These are the points that you cannot get back. At the start of the season you can ignore this and hope it levels itself out.
“That is a lot of points to lose out on at this stage of the season.”