The circumstances probably weren't the most ideal for him or the team - but Eddie Nolan's assured performance at the back in place of the injured Billy Jones were another positive for Alan Irvine on a productive night for North End.

Of Jones the gaffer told the post-match press conference that a tight hamstring forced him off in the first half.

"I thought it was the calf and I kept on asking him if it was ok, he kept saying no and then going on another run. Eventually I managed to get it from him that he wasn't ok to continue.

"If it's only a spasm in his hamstring then I'm hoping that that'll have gone by this morning, but we'll find out the extent of any injury if there is an injury.

"If it is a spasm then that is probably going to be something that is related to something in his back and with a bit of manipulation maybe he will be ok, we'll find out from the physios today.

" I don't think he's torn his hamstring, that's not the information that I am getting at this moment," Irvine said.

Of Neil Mellor, the gaffer said he "wasn't too far away and again we will have a look at him for the weekend." The absence of Jones thrust Nolan into the action and the loanee impressed the manager.

"Billy's injury gave young Eddie Nolan the opportunity to make his debut and we can be delighted with him, I thought he played very well.

"I wasn't worried about throwing him in, he's looked very composed and looked very much a part of the group since he came in, it was just a case of him waiting for his opportunity.

"On a lot of occasions young players get their chance because there is nobody else and that's really where Eddie's chance has come from, he's certainly shown everyone that he is capable of playing at this level," Irvine added.

The gaffer went on to compare the young Irishman's situation with the one with himself - when he got a chance for Everton's first team.

"I got my opportunity when there was nobody else. The right-winger at Everton got injured, Howard Kendall was looking around because he wanted to play with a right winger and it was my turn, I got in and I stayed in for the rest of the season, there's no reason why Eddie can't do that.

"It is always very difficult to put a young player in ahead of a player who you know can do the job because there is always that little doubt. Can he do it? is he ready for it at this particular time? Eddie has grasped that opportunity and he did very well. I've got a few clips to show him but he did very well," he continued.

North End moved up the table to seventh with last night's win and reached 34 points in the process - the same total was achieved after 33 games last season but Irvine stressed the importance of maintaining our position in the Championship.

"I think it is important that we amass as many points as we possibly can. As you know, right at the beginning of the season I said 'let's try and get 53 points as quickly as we can so we know that we are in this division again next season'.

"If we can get those points with a lot of games to spare then we will obviously be in a good position and with a chance to push on from there. It's fantastic to have got a win again after losing at the weekend and it keeps us at the right end of the table.

"This time last season we were in a very precarious position and we probably weren't playing with the kind of confidence and belief that we can play with.

"There's no doubt that in order to amass the points we need then we do need to have that quality. You can't always win by playing at your very best, you have to find a way of winning and fortunately we managed to do that.

"Does that mean that we are different to where we were last year? We've made progress, but I think everyone can see that we have made progress, not as much as I want us to make, not as much as I wish we had made so far but we are making progress and that's perhaps one area where we have progressed.

"I think the lads believed that they could go on and win the game and that's important," he said.

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