The visitors frustrated the Blues for the large majority of the game, took the lead when Lewis Gibson scrambled in at a corner (72) but were pegged back at the death when Jack Clarke won and converted a spot kick.

“The result is a shame but the performance is good,” said Heckingbottom, whose side had lost their previous two games heavily to Hull (3-0) and Middlesbrough (4-0).

“For the majority of the game I felt we were comfortable. I felt we controlled where they had the ball and our threat grew in the game as well.

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“You know you’re going to have big spells to defend, especially as the game wears on and Kieran’s throwing more and more attacking players on. But we defended the box really well.

“I felt we would have kept a clean sheet if it had not been for that penalty.

“I don’t think anyone could have begrudged us getting the three points there, but we didn’t manage to do it.”

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Asked if he had any complaints about the late penalty award for Pol Valentin’s trip on Clarke, Heckingbottom said: “Plenty of complaints but I’m not going to air them.”

Pressed further, he said: “Whether there’s contact or not, he’s run for three steps and then gone down, hasn’t he? So that’s frustrating. But by going to ground in the box (as a defender), you give the player an opportunity to go down the referee a decision to make.

“My thoughts are that I don’t think there should be penalties for that full stop. I really don’t.”

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Ipswich subsequently had three more penalty appeals ignored during a grandstand finish, Clarke taking another tumble under pressure and the ball twice appearing to it Preston arms in the box.

“Well, they’ve got to shout then, haven’t they?” smiled Heckingbottom. “I don’t think the ref’s going to give them anything though.

“We did a good job of quieting the crowd down, but the goal gives them the lift. They’re smelling three points then and we had to stand strong.”