Despite losing out to a superb goal late on against Barnsley at the weekend, manager Simon Grayson was encouraged by his side's performance against the Tykes.
After Aiden McGeady fired PNE level on his debut with a stunning goal from long range, North End went on to create a number of chances to win the game and the gaffer hopes to take the positives from Saturday into Tuesday night's match against Cardiff City.
"We watched the game this morning with the players and reiterated to them what they have done, the positives of the game and if they keep doing the same things then we won't be far away.
"It's encouraging when people like Mr Hemmings are ringing and saying how proud he is of the team and how well they played and if we keep doing the same things we've got a great chance of progressing and getting some victories.
"Everybody should realise how well we've played, we are all frustrated and I understand why the supporters are frustrated because we lost the game, but we lost a game that we didn't deserve to lose.
"It was the same against Derby County the other week, we could be sitting here now with a lot more points, it hasn't happened for different reasons.
"You can't change the past but you can look forward at what you can affect in the future and that's what we will do."
Next up for PNE is the visit of Cardiff City on Tuesday night, a team who have had a similar start to North End to the 2016/17 campaign.
"When you look at the squad, it's a squad that was very close to the Play-Offs last year but they missed out under Russell Slade and now Paul Trollope has gone in there, someone I know really well.
"They will be disappointed that they've not got more points but everybody is the same. When you look at the table you are thinking there are some big teams that are in and around us like Leeds, Derby County, Aston Villa. Villa have spent a fortune and are only three points ahead of us and they've got far bigger aspirations that we have.
"What Cardiff will do it they will want to keep progressing, they've got some experienced players who will hopefully, from their point of view, take them up the league.
"But we go into every game looking to make sure that we win the game, and we are encouraged by Saturday's performance and we will make sure that we try and replicate a lot of those positives and if we keep doing that then I'm sure a victory is very close for us."
You can hear more from the manager on PNE PlayerHD by clicking on the video below.