In the end it was all about grinding out the three points and withstanding some solid Posh pressure but the same back four and Lonners stood strong and returned north with three points.
Michael Hart's willing running and dogged tackling were crucial to the defensive effort and the rejuvenated right-back told PNE.com that the lads deserved the win.
"It was about getting the three points on the night, it's a tough place to come especially as it's the manager's old team. The pitch was tough as well and I thought we deserved it to be honest, we had a few chances towards the end of the first half and at the starty of the second half and at the end they had chances to make a game of it but I thought we deserved it."
The manager decided to keep the same back four from the weekend's defeat to Chelsea and the Scotsman pointed out that the backline was an area the management and players had been working on.
"I think we've been working on the defence a bit more, we formed a shape at the weekend and the manager's gone with the same shape and we've got a clean sheet, three points and a win away from home so we'll take that every time.
"In the last ten minutes they were pushing on and we just had to defend in numbers which is what we did and has got us the three points, it's not an easy place to come especially with all the factors taken in and it's a great performance and a great result."
In front of Hart was Neil Mellor and the converted wingman was a constant thorn in the opposition's defence and Hart thought that the frontman was fantastic on the night.
"Mells is not a natural right winger but he's great going forward and we had a good enough shape around us to let Mells cause danger going forward but defensively he did his bit as well."
It's two years this month since Hart signed in at Deepdale and after prolonged periods of absence due to injury the tide has definitely turned for the right-back since Darren Ferguson was appointed manager.
"It's just a question of getting the games again, it's been two yeares since I played two games in a week, it's a long time since I've played in a week so it's just building on that. Towards the end of games I've been struggling and getting really tired but the more games I get the better I'll become.
"The manager's said the season starts here for us, we built on Saturday's decent spells of play and I thought at times when we got the ball down we played well and in the conditions played good."
And the manager himself commented after the game on Hart's performance, one that impressed him greatly.
"Harty is a proper man. He will talk and organise. His legs had gone a bit at the end of the game and I can understand that, but with Billy having to go to left back, he dug in and Unsy has done a lot of work with the back four. We made sure we had good lines. It is hard for Neill Collins and Eddie Nolan, but that is why we have a squad. It is no longer an 11 man squad and to be fair to the ones who haven't been involved, they have been great as well, I have been pleased with that."
