The Clarets saw strong appeals for a penalty, in the final minute of normal time at Deepdale, waved away by the official.
Lewis Gibson, a North End defender, slide challenged Burnley replacement Marcus Edwards, who drove into the Preston box and tumbled down.
“At first view of it you’re thinking ‘oh, that’s a penalty’,” said Grayson, who was in the Sky Sports studio for the game. “But you look at it now and the defender stands up and then he goes to ground.
Because of the force he applies, he manages to get the ball first and it ricochets away for a corner after he loses his feet a little.
“You witnessed the Burnley players’ immediate protest, but I believe the referee made the correct call there.”
North End manager Paul Heckingbottom watched the game from the top of the Invicibles Pavilion, as he served the first of his two-match touchline ban.
He was adamant his player won the ball but didn’t have too many complaints for PNE being denied a spot-kick themselves, for handball.
“Yes, I’ve seen one back, their appeal, and it’s exactly as I thought,” said Heckingbottom. “Lewis got something on the ball because I saw the ball jump straight away.
“Our end, I’ve not seen, but I’ve not heard. I’ve just come straight up from chatting to staff but our staff have not mentioned too much about it. So if it is, it is. But I’ve not seen that.”
Clarets chief Scott Parker was incensed on the touchline and Kitchen dished out yellow cards to the dugout. Post-match his opinion on the decision had not changed.
“It’s a penalty for me and I don’t think I’m being biased in my understanding of it,” said Parker. “Marcus Edwards has touched the ball first and then he’s touched it on to the player who’s slid on the ground.
“The referee said to me that the defender got the ball. He didn’t get the ball. If the defender’s running with the ball and I want to tackle him, I have to get contact with the ball first.”
