NOT for the first time this season, Andy Taylor was sent out as the voice of reason for Wanderers.

Josh Vela’s Twitter anger had not yet been unleashed when the full-back walked into the media room to talk about the Whites’ stuttering promotion form.

In singularity, draws against Bristol Rovers and AFC Wimbledon are not especially damaging, but given Phil Parkinson’s side has won two of the last 10 league games played, Taylor knows full well things must pick up if he – and others – are to be playing in the Championship next season.

“Games are running out,” he told The Bolton News. “Earlier in the season you can point to 20-30 more games but now were getting down to nearly single figures. It is time to stand up and be counted. We are still confident. We believe we can make a push and if we win at Fleetwood next weekend we can get right on track.

“We haven’t gone off the rails but we know we need to put a better run together.”

Though Taylor’s sensible, composed quotes were at the opposite end to Vela’s more ‘from the gut’ tweets, they amounted to the same thing.

Wanderers do need to draw from every available inspiration and Taylor warned against dwelling on the negatives.

“We can’t use excuses, we’re a squad of 20-24 players who are capable of being in a promotion-winning side,” he said. “We need to believe that, put things right and learn from any mistakes we make along the way.

“We have to be like that. Nobody else is going to go and win games for us.

“The fans can cheer us on and everyone can say we’re really great but the only people who can win a game are the lads out on the pitch.

“Everyone at the training ground are in it together. We need to keep performing, keep believing and the points will start coming.”

Next weekend’s trip to second-placed Fleetwood Town takes on a whole new significance, given the Cod Army could put a seven-point gap between themselves and Wanderers with a win.

Taylor insists an improved team display against AFC Wimbledon should count as evidence that things are heading in the right direction.

“We are getting to the business end now and want to win as many as we can but from a performance level, it was better than we were on Tuesday, which is a positive. On another day we take three points against Wimbledon but you can’t dwell on it.”