Free week will benefit North End - Heckingbottom

Paul Heckingbottom has won 11 of his 37 games in charge since taking over in August following the sudden departure of Ryan Lowe

Preston North End boss Paul Heckingbottom says he is grateful for being without a midweek game ahead of next Saturday's FA Cup fifth-round Lancashire derby against Burnley.

"We've got a free week," he told BBC Radio Lancashire. "We need to use it really well.

"We've been trying to make changes and manage the group to keep the energy because it's a big part of how we play."

Although they only lost 2-1 at Frank Lampard's Coventry, Heckingbottom knows they could have have been more well beaten after becoming the first PNE boss to lose a league game to Coventry since Paul Simpson in 22 meetings since September 2007.

"We were second best for large parts," he said. "We lacked penetration and threat.

"We made changes at half-time but it was 75 minutes gone before we got in down the side. And, when we got in behind them, the final pass was missing, which meant we didn't get the opportunities.

"I could feel it coming five minutes before their first goal and you're thinking we need to change something here. But, from the goal onwards, all we got something out of the game would have just been the spirit and the character of the players.

"There were too many not at the level we've been playing at, which made it

difficult.

"It just looked, in my eye, a game too far for us. I'd love to have that game back again."

North End, who are now 15th having won just once in five league games, are scheduled to return to Championship duty on Tuesday week (4 March) with a home game against Swansea City.