Shaun Hutchinson says Millwall must improve their away form if they want to climb the table.

Millwall moved seven points clear of the relegation zone after Saturday’s draw with Preston North End and Hutchinson believes their performances warrant a healthier league position.

The Lions looked set to make it six wins in their last seven games at the Den when Aiden O’Brien put them ahead two minutes before half-time, but the visitors hit back through Callum Robinson 11 minutes from time.

The result leaves the Lions in 16th place.

Millwall defender Hutchinson said: “We are gutted that we couldn’t see out a one-nil victory, but at the same time I don’t think we were at our best.

“Credit to Preston, I thought they came, had a game plan, and made it very tough for us.

“It’s a point gained at the end of the day, but we were winning one-nil with ten minutes to go and you fancy us in that situation to normally hold it out, but unfortunately not.

“I think if you ask anyone that has been to every game this season, I think the league table is a bit false, I think we should be up a bit higher.”

The draw with Preston means Millwall have picked up 25 of their 31 points at home and are unbeaten against the current top-10 at the Den, but remain the only side in the Championship without an away win this season.

They were unable to mark their 2,000th home game in the Football League with a victory, but did extend their unbeaten home run to seven games and Hutchinson says it’s no secret how important their form at the Den has been this term.

He added: “I think it’s pretty obvious that our home form has been massive for us this season. It’s always been a place that we generally think we can pick up three points no matter who we are playing.

“We are very good on the front foot, we bounce off the crowd when the crowd is lively. At home, we feel like we can get after the ball a bit more, whereas away, you kind of try and be a bit more solid and when we are like that we generally aren’t as attacking as we are home.

“Defensively, we are solid home and away, but I think going forward, away from home has been a bit of a problem.”

The Lions travel to Leeds United next weekend, a side they have already beaten this season and despite losing their last five visits to Elland Road, Hutchinson is convinced that Millwall’s form on the road will pick up before the end of the season.

He said: “If we can get some results away from home, we can start climbing that table. As a unit we are hard to beat, home or away, but it’s just one of those things, if we can start picking up a few goals away from home then we can start getting the points.

“I’m not sure if it’s confidence, because when we are going into away games we are not thinking ‘oh my god we haven’t won away all season’ and it’s not something we really talk about.

“Obviously, the press and the manager will mention it every now and then, but it’s just one of those things.

“I remember last year in League One, we were going away from home and getting good wins at hard places as well, so it’s just one of those things and I am confident that before the end of the season we will pick up a few wins.”