Alex Neil unaware Mihailo Ivanovic ‘was so good on free-kicks’ after stunner

Millwall manager Alex Neil admitted surprise at Mihailo Ivanovic’s dead-ball antics after the 1-1 draw against Preston in the Championship.

The Scot was on course to win against his old club after Ivanovic’s 40th-minute opener, only for Emil Riis to equalise in the 47th minute with a long-range stunner.

“I know he’s got goals,” Neil said of his Serbian striker.

“If you look at the goals he’s scored of late, I think that’s just another one to his repertoire. I didn’t know he was so good on free-kicks and it was a great finish.”

On the game, Neil added: “I thought it was relatively even in terms of opportunities but I thought they dominated the ball.

“I thought they were the team that dominated in that sense and I think in the second half they came out better than we did.

“I think the goal is just an opportune moment where Riis has smashed it from 25 yards, it’s a great finish and it ended up in the back of the net.

“After that, I thought it was a really even game for large spells apart from the last five minutes where I thought Preston put a bit of pressure on us but I don’t think they had any chances of note.”

Paul Heckingbottom

Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom was pleased with the result despite feeling Ivanovic’s free-kick goal should never have been a dead-ball.

“We were certainly the dominant team but it’s a positive point having gone behind to a team who defend really well,” he said.

“It’s a positive point and there were some good performances from a lot of the players as well.

“It’s not a free-kick that they score from. That’s the frustration. Ali (McCann) kicks it away with his left foot. That’s another reason that I’m pleased with the point in the end.”

North End striker Milutin Osmajic started on the bench just days after Burnley midfielder Hannibal Mejbri’s allegation of racist abuse against the Montenegro international, however, the 25-year-old replaced Brad Potts at the interval.

“For all the ball we had, we lacked penetration. It was more about risking the ball, being a bit more direct and putting our three (attackers) in the middle of the pitch high up,” Heckingbottom said.

On the allegations, Heckingbottom added: “There’s a development but I’m not going to be discussing it.

“We have to show the incident the importance that it deserves and one thing I’ve been disappointed about is all the nonsense that’s been put online and everywhere.

“I’m not getting involved in it and we’ve told everyone in the club not to get involved in it.”

Heckingbottom added that Osmajic was “upset” and “did not sleep” on the night of the allegations.

READ MORE: Emil Riis stunner denies Millwall boss Alex Neil victory on Preston North End return