Nottingham Forest manager Billy Davies has admitted that Preston North End were the better team during his side's 2-0 win over the League One outfit in the FA Cup.
Goals from Jamie Mackie and Darius Henderson fired Forest into the fifth round of the competition, but the Reds boss believes that his team was inferior on the night.
"I think the best team lost," BBC Sport quotes Davies as saying.
"On the night we didn't show enough quality, we didn't compete as well as the home team and you've got to feel sorry for them because they deserved to win the match. End of.
"It was a typical cup tie night of football, the rain was pouring down, the wind was blowing, the pitch was soggy and they handled it better."
Forest will meet Sheffield United of League One in the next round.