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Manager Darren Ferguson bemoaned his team's luck after missing a handful of second half chances in their first day defeat to Doncaster Rovers. The North End boss admitted his side started slowly, but felt if they had got a goal their second half performance deserved, they could have got something from the game.

"You have to take your chances in any game and today we had five outstanding opportunities in the second half," he told PNE Player. "I said at half-time that if we got one back we would get something out of the game; but unfortunately our finishing wasn't up to scratch, but there were lots of positives to take out of the second half.

"It was an edgy start by both teams, but obviously goals do change games. If we'd kept the ball better in the first half we'd have had a much better chance of coming out the winners, but they did it better than us. In the second half we switched the play better and we gave them a lot of problems, but we didn't get any luck.

"The first goal was going wide - I've just seen it on the video - but it took a deflection off Callum's back foot. But our passing in the first half wasn't crisp enough or sharp enough and that caused us some problems."

The manager gave a second half debut to new signing Joshua King, who became the Club's 1,000th player and although he only checked in during the morning, the manager admitted he had been on the radar for some time.

"He's one we've known about for a while; he's quick and strong and he gave them problems. He is young, but if you want pace up front these days then an experienced one would cost a lot of money.

"He's been on the radar for a while and United felt he was ready to go out. He looks like he has the strength to cope with the Championship and he is different to what we've got. He did really well when he came on and caused them problems, it is just a pity that he didn't take his chance."

The gaffer had to select Billy Jones at centre back, with St. Ledger and Wayne Brown both ruled out: "Sean had his tight hamstring and he was nearly there, but didn't quite make it," he added. "He will be fit for Swansea. Wayne Brown felt his calf in training on Thursday and he might be a little bit longer. So we had to go with Billy at centre half, but that was not a problem.

"Parky will be fit and training on Monday; Sean will be back for Swansea, so will have decision to make."

So for the manager and his team it is on to the next one and a chance to kick the season into gear: "We go onto the next one. It was a disappointing result there's no doubt about that - to lose your first game at home is disappointing, but I always take the positives out of games and I felt that if we'd have got one goal back, we'd have got something out of the game - but we didn't."