KEVIN Blackwell admits leaving Deepdale with a hint of frustration, despite his side picking up another valuable point in their fight for League One survival.

The Shakers navigated an early storm from Graham Westley’s make-shift side before putting in a disciplined display to earn their first clean sheet away from home all season.

And on-loan midfielder Zac Thompson could easily have stolen all three points for Bury.

The combative Leeds player hit the side-netting with a golden opportunity in the first half before forcing Preston stopper Thorsten Stuckmann to make a decent save with 20 minutes to play.

“Apart from the first 20 minutes I thought we quelled the fire and then went on from there,” said Blackwell.

“For long spells we looked very accomplished, played some good football and created some chances that we should really have finished off.

“So, in the end I’m sort of pleased with the point but a little bit disappointed that it wasn’t three.”

Westley was forced to start with Jack King up front, who had played right-back in the recent Johnstone’s Paint Trophy tie between the two sides.

It looked like a decent gamble as Preston started with all guns blazing.

King had a shot blocked in the opening minute, and Bury stopper Trevor Carson then pulled off a decent save at his near-post two minutes later to deny Andy Procter, before Will Hayhurst and Luke Foster both put efforts wide.

Blackwell acted quickly, moving David Worrall into a deeper role and switching Tom Hopper to the right, leaving David Healy on his own up front.

The switch helped stem the flow of Preston attacks and it wasn’t long before Thompson was set free at the other end.

The midfielder ghosted into the box in the 24th minute to seize on to a long Matt Doherty throw before firing narrowly wide.

After a decent opening, the game descended into a midfield battle, with chances few and far between for the remainder of the match.

Preston flung on Lee Trundle and former Shaker David Amoo up front in the second half, but were unable to break down a stubborn Bury rearguard action.

In fact, Thompson’s curled effort was the only decent shot on target in the second 45 minutes.

And despite doggedly defending the point, Bury were the aggressors in the closing stages, leaving Blackwell full of praise for his players at the final whistle.

“The lads have been playing really well for a long time now and lady luck has got to smile on them at some point that’s for sure,” he said.

“But if we keep doing what we’re doing then we will be fine.

“The last three months have been about building a team that’s capable of going all round the country and picking up points and that was a decent point for us today.”

The goalless draw sees Bury remain third bottom in League One, but they are now just two points from safety.

PRESTON: Stuckmann; Mousinho, Wright, Foster, Buchanan; Procter (Monakana 56), Byrom, Welsh, Hayhurst (Trundle 62); Beardsley (Amoo 71) King.

Subs: Huntington, Kane, Simonsen, Elding.

BURY: Carson 5; Doherty 7, Sodje 7, Hughes 7, Skarz 7; Worrall 7, Schumacher 7, Thompson 7, Soares 7 (C Jones 77); Hopper 6, Healy 6 (John-Lewis 6 66).

Subs: Sweeney, Hewitt, A Jones, Belford, Carole.

Referee: Mark Haywood

Attendance: 12,014