Grayson pleased with PNE patience after last-gasp Hartlepool win
Simon Grayson was pleased with his side's display after Eoin Doyle's last-gasp winner handed them a 1-0 win over Hartlepool in the first round of the EFL Cup.
PNE were frustrated for long periods and left it late to deny the League 2 side a shot at an upset in extra-time as they bounced back from their opening day defeat at Reading.
Grayson said: “It was a good performance.
“If you’d asked me on Friday what my team was going to be it probably would have been different but we wanted to get one or two back onto the pitch quickly after the disappointing performance at the weekend.
“I thought we passed the ball with a real tempo, we got at them, we closed them down right from the off and made it difficult.
“They’re a good team. They pass the ball very quickly and can break quickly and have got some good options.
“It was a tough test for us tonight but we stuck in there, were patient and had numerous opportunities.
“We didn’t get the early goal that would have made it that little easier for us but it doesn’t matter when you score it’s ultimately about scoring and getting through to the next round.”