John Smith's PNE Fans' Panel verdict: We no longer look out of our depth tactically at times at this level
For me, Saturday's opponents Coventry City are undoubtedly the team in our division for which the terrace chant: “Can We Play You Every Week?” could be the most appropriately applied to.
The Sky Blues had never won a league match at Deepdale in their history in 21 attempts since their first visit in 1949 and also had never beaten us in any of our last 21 league games against each other.
Although these kind of runs do not last forever it never really looked in danger of ending in this game.
After an all-round strong team performance and a deserved 1-0 victory when the referee blew for time at end of an entertaining 90 minutes, both of these statistics had been stretched to an incredible 22.
In the first half we created plenty of chances with Emil Riis looking lively and showing flashes of his former self before his horrific injury 20 months ago.
It was a far cry from some of our home games under the previous manager in which we were rarely on the front foot and constantly playing our football sideways and backwards.
Our new management duo is the most experienced partnership I've seen at Deepdale since the days of Craig Brown and Billy Davies.
I have always believed that there is no substitute for experience and I feel that we no longer look out of our depth tactically at times at this level.
Hecky (Paul Heckingbottom) and (Stuart) McCall seem to have found a way to get the best out of some of our players who are now playing more with confidence than nervousness in front of their home crowd.
Robbie Brady is one of the players who looked on top of his game during this match.
Fresh from his goalscoring exploits for Ireland on his travels during the international break he looked to be enjoying the craic in the Deepdale sun, and so was I when his whipped cross was headed in from close range by Riis for what turned out to be the game’s only goal.
In the remaining 20 minutes or so we comfortably saw the game out.
And although we had a couple of scares, our defending was not as frantic as some seen in our single-goal home wins of last season.
The result meant that in our four home league games played since the appointment of the new management duo, we have not conceded a single goal and have taken 10 out of a possible 12 points from them.
We were indebted to goalkeeper Freddie Woodman for his wonder save at the end which preserved our one-goal lead and effectively sealed the three points.
Although the hare has been running for a while this season, we have been a bit like a greyhound making a stuttering start.
However, since the appointment of the management du,o I feel that we have made tremendous progress and having picked up the pace we are now hurtling towards the first bend in full flight.