The scoreline was locked at 0-0 between Albion and Preston at The Hawthorns when visiting midfielder Harrison Armstrong hit the deck after a slide challenge from the hosts' Toby Collyer in his own box.
Referee Andrew Kitchen was quick to point to the ball, suggesting that Collyer had made contact with his challenge, but members of Preston's backroom staff complained to the fourth official.
Ryan Mason's side went on to win 2-1 but former Leeds and Sheffield United boss Heckingbottom felt it was very clear his side should have been awarded a spot-kick which would have changed the momentum of the affair.
He added Kitchen told his fourth official there was contact with the ball - video replays appear to show minimal contact from Collyer - and shared frustration where referees "lie" after a bad decision, before claiming PGMOL's Championship chief Kevin Friend had been in touch with club staff to say the decision was incorrect.
"Sometimes you hear the referee to the fourth (official) - ‘he's played the ball’ - and you have to accept that," Heckingbottom said of the incident.
"But then I literally turned around to look and when I saw he was nowhere near the ball instantly, then that's the sickener.
“You try and say we didn't let it affect us, which we didn't, but it does because we always say how big the first goal is in the game and we just had two moments there."
You can view a replay of the incident below.
Asked if he could understand any error made by the officials, the experienced boss added: “No, I can't, because if you say he's played the ball, then you've seen him play the ball, when I'm seeing things where he's a million miles away from the ball, he's late.
“You've not seen him play the ball. It's like when I go back to those decisions last year, you haven't (seen it) because it's not happened.
“If you're not giving it, don't make a reason why you've not given it. They're my problems when they'll lie to get out of a bad decision. We all make bad decisions, but you can't invent something that you've seen. I think we've already had Kevin Friend on to our secretary saying he's not played the ball.”
Toby Collyer was bright on his full home debut but limped off in the second half. (Photo by Adam Fradgley/West Bromwich Albion FC via Getty Images)
Toby Collyer, who later trudged off injured, survived a penalty claim against him after a first-half tackle on Harrison Armstrong. Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom felt it was a clear spot-kick. (Photo by Adam Fradgley/West Bromwich Albion FC via Getty Images)
Albion boss Mason said he felt there was a decision to be made having seen the incident live, as Collyer attempted to complete a half-clearance from Chris Mepham.
"I haven't seen the replay, I've got to be honest," added Mason, whose side came out on top thanks to stunning strikes from Mikey Johnston and Isaac Price.
"I think when you watch the game live and a player goes to ground, you always have the fear that maybe it is, unless he wins the ball clearly.
"The ref was closer than me. I think naturally when it happened there was a moment of fear that maybe he would have given the penalty. I've not seen the replay in smaller detail to see whether or not he got the touch on the ball.
"I think the ref was obviously in a position where he made that decision. I'm not sure on that one."