Youth team defender Precieux Ngongo felt North End’s youngsters were the dominant side up until the final third in their 1-0 home defeat to Fleetwood Town.
The Lilywhites had the majority of possession throughout the contest, but were ultimately undone by Shayden Morris’ 27th minute strike for the Cod Army.
Ngongo suggested PNE were unfortunate to lose the match based on their performance.
“I thought that we dominated the game overall, but we just didn’t have that cutting edge; a finish, a shot on goal or the right cross into the box,” the 17-year-old told PNE.com. “I thought we were unlucky and if we had taken our chances, we might have won the game.
“Even from the start the game, I thought we kept the ball well and kept moving it but they sat back a little and we had to find a way to try to get through. After the goal, I thought we dominated possession even more but we just couldn’t get the final finish.
“I thought we defended well throughout the game but they’ve had a few chances as well and obviously, they’ve took one of those. They’ve also done their job at the back to keep us out but I thought we had the chances to get the goals, we just didn’t take them.
“Fenners [Andy Fensome] and Nick [Harrison] always say that we have to take our chances and that the defence always has to be switched on because if we keep a clean sheet, then we always have the chance to score, so the defence have to concentrate all the time and obviously it’s just that one mistake which has cost us the game today.”
On a personal note, Ngongo was pleased to make what was his third start in the young Lilywhites’ last four matches.
And with at least six games still to come for Nick Harrison’s team this term – including one in midweek for the next three weeks – the first year-scholar vowed to keep putting in the hard miles in training to keep his place in the team.
“It’s been an up and down season but I’m obviously happy to step in today and play the last two games now. I just need to kick on from here and continue working hard in training so I will get more chances.
“It’s been tough because I’ve had injuries and sometimes I’ve been out of the team, but Fenners and Nick are always talking to me, telling me to keep working hard in training and that my chance will come. I’ve had the opportunity to play today and I think I did all right.
“I just need to keep at it and hopefully that will help me to get into the team week in, week out.
“We’ve got to get used to that [playing twice a week] because the first team play on Saturday and Tuesday most weeks.
“It’s a good opportunity for us to learn so we just need to keep pushing ourselves in training and keep working hard, the games will keep coming and hopefully we can get as many points as possible.”