GETHIN Jones hopes Wanderers can thrive on the big-game pressure around Saturday’s trip to Derby County.

Second plays third in League One at Pride Park in a game that has been hyped up locally as an automatic promotion decider.

Seven games remain after the international break – with scope for plenty more twists and turns before honours are dished out – but vice-captain Jones admits Wanderers could do themselves the world of good with a positive result.

“It is one of the fixtures you look for at the start of the season, away at Derby, and the atmosphere is going to be unbelievable,” he said.

“You know there will be 30,000 people in the stadium and where both clubs are in the league makes the game feel even bigger.

“Things can change every week now until the end of the season because we are all playing each other. It is something as players that we need to thrive on.

“We have to believe in ourselves like we did on Tuesday night, and I think we are all looking forward to Derby now.”

Wanderers played some of their best football of the season in midweek, brushing Oxford United to one side at the Toughsheet in a 5-0 victory on live TV.

Jones felt a result like that was on the cards, given recent improvement, but the challenge now is to replicate it against one of League One’s form teams.

“It is good pressure and we can enjoy this last eight games,” he said. “All the teams in the league have something to play for, which is exciting, top and bottom of the table.

“We have played against Paul Warne sides plenty of times and we know they put pressure on you early. It will be a difficult game. If concentrate on ourselves, like we did on Tuesday, we will end up OK.

“Previous games before that I think we’d started to get the performance back. First half against Exeter was brilliant, second half not so good, but the fight in this team we can always come back. It was the same against Barnsley away.

“We knew that performance was on its way. We didn’t give Oxford a moment to get to their fluid football, and on their day they are a good side themselves, but it was massively important.

“That is all done now, and we have to focus on Derby.”

Jones has been called up to the Australia squad to face Lebanon in a two-legged World Cup qualifier, having recently represented them at the Asian Cup.

Earning his first international caps and helping Wanderers challenge at the top end makes this the most successful season of Jones’s career, the defender reasoned.

“I’d say performance-wise, maybe not,” he said. “But in terms of my reputation and being proud of where I am now, maybe it is.

“To get this club back towards the level I think it belongs would make me very proud, and then obviously I have had recognition at international level too.

“I want to keep working hard and I can improve. I am 28 now and have a big responsibility with the lads. I have enjoyed this season and hopefully I can finish it off well now.”