Tyrhys Dolan is looking for the youth team to build on their unbeaten run and continue developing a winning mentality going into the closing stages of the campaign.
The 16-year-old broke the deadlock in the latest of their five-match streak in the 2-1 away triumph against Tranmere Rovers, Darren Brannigan going on to score the winner, and the young Lilywhites have the same amount of games remaining before their season ends.
Among their final five outings of the campaign is a Lancashire FA Professional Youth Cup final against Wigan Athletic, before they close their league season with a derby against Blackpool, and Tyrhys is therefore keen to keep the current run intact as they approach those matches next month.
“It’s good to have that unbeaten run and today we kept that going,” the first year scholar told PNE.Com. “We stayed at 1-0 and they got one back, but it’s good that we can show that we can go again when it went to 1-1.
“They put a lot of pressure on us in the second half, we were trying to make something happen but not a lot was going for us. But we showed that even when things are going against us a bit, we can still get that goal and make a positive out of a negative situation.
“We knew that being 1-0 up we couldn’t let that slide. We wanted to keep our unbeaten run going and prove a point that we are a solid team and that’s what we did today.”
“Everyone’s confident, we’re all looking forward to every game that’s coming up each week. We’ve just got to keep that positive mentality and that winning mentality and that drive to keep getting goals and not conceding at the other end.
“The more games that we can win, the more confident we will be stepping into that final. It would be nice to win something this season because I think myself and all the lads have deserved that this season.”
Tyrhys, usually deployed as an attacking midfielder, was unfazed by donning the number nine shirt in the lone striker’s role as he proved by opening the scoring, although the youngster admitted that it had been a while since he had last played in that position.
“It’s my first time playing there since Saturday league level. It was good to have that chance know what it’s like in a new position and evolving in a new role.
“In that position you’re going to be more in around that box and getting more chances at goal, so I was excited to play in that new position and it’s learning something new as well.
“For the goal, I saw Ethan beat his man and I just thought that because Ethan is a quick player, he’s going to get in behind and whip it in, so if I got in that six yard box I would definitely get on the end of it and I did that.
“Everything is just all about learning, so me going up there is just adding more parts to my game and improve as a player.”