COLIN Todd assured his nerve-wracked Wanderers that he is prepared to take the strain as the promotion pressure hots up.

The Reebok boss, who has seen his team suffer an attack of the jitters after playing their way into pole position, refused to be fazed by the boos of supporters during last night's 3-3 draw with Barnsley.

"They get frustrated and I get frustrated," he acknowledged, "but I'm prepared to take the flak if it means protecting the players because I haven't lost my faith in their ability or my belief in them. They won't come under any pressure from me.

"There is still everything to play for and the crowd have a part to play too."

Todd was booed when he substituted Eidur Gudjohnsen for new signing Bo Hansen in the 61st minute with Wanderers, who had coasted into a 2- 0 lead, trailing 3-2 after another defensive horror show.

But the switch paid off when the young Icelander scored a terrific equaliser 10 minutes from the end - the second time in four days he had come off the bench to secure a 3-3 draw.

"I got booed for bringing Bo off but I notice I didn't get any applause when Eidur got the goal," the manager mused philosophically.

"But I'm not here to be popular. I'm here to make tough decisions."

Todd rested Bob Taylor to give Hansen his first start following his £1 million transfer from Brondby and dropped Robbie Elliott to substitute to accommodate Paul Warhurst, who returned after a five-match lay-off with a hamstring injury.

The switch failed to prevent Wanderers leaking three goals for the fourth match in a row - a seriuous confidence blow after the defensive security they had shown during the 15-match unbeaten run that saw them sitting pretty, second in the table a fortnight ago.

They have since slumped to fifth - six points behind second club Ipswich, who lost 3-2 at Crystal Palace last night, and a massive 18 adrift of runaway leaders Sunderland, who won 1-0 at Bradford - with recent talk of a title challenge having been put firmly in its place.

Keith Branagan, out of action since surgery on a hernia problem in early November, started his comeback in a private friendly against a trialist-packed Carlisle side today. Gudni Bergsson continued his bid for match fitness.

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