Another assured man of the match-winning performance from Eddie Nolan at left back wasn't any consolation for the young Irishman after the 1-0 defeat to arch rivals Blackpool.

"It doesn't mean much to me to be honest after that big loss, I'm gutted to have lost the derby," he told pne.com.

"It's just very disappointing, we're gutted, we really should have got the three points but it wasn't to be unfortunately."

The two sides were evenly-matched for much of the game and the young defender agreed that PNE didn't have the rub of the green on the day.

"I thought we started better and were the better team but we didn't' have any luck in front of the goal and I don't know, it just didn't go for us today.

"I don't think the pressure got to us, we started well but it didn't go our way today, sometimes you have those days but we still should have won."

North End fans may point to the disallowed goal and absence of penalty awarding in the final few minutes but Nolan pointed out that such decisions make little difference in the aftermath of defeat.

"We can't really change the decisions, it's not going to make any difference we just have to get on with it and move on to Doncaster.

"They did a job, they knew what they were going to get, they sat back then when they scored they sat back even more and luckily kept a clean sheet."

The Doncaster game now assumes even greater importance for North End with the games running out and the Play-Off spot further away.

"It's a massive game, we need to win the rest of our games starting Monday against Doncaster Rovers hopefully."