SAMMY Ameobi gave due credit to Phil Parkinson for keeping Wanderers believing their record-breaking poor run would end.

Victory over Sheffield Wednesday ended the second-worst start to a campaign in the club’s history but with a win now on the board, Ameobi reckons the only way is up.

His 10th minute goal was the first in nearly 13 hours of competitive football for the Whites, who had shown some green shoots signs of recovery in previous defeats against Aston Villa and Bristol City.

Sam Hutchinson’s own goal wasn’t enough to put the game entirely beyond Wednesday’s reach and Keiran Lee set up a tense finish with a close-range header.

But Ameobi reckons the team spirit instilled by Parkinson was the chief reason Wanderers were able to cling on to a priceless three points in the end.

“Everyone was together and the manager has been a big factor in that – win, lose or draw, we do it together,” he told The Bolton News.

“Towards the end it got a bit tight but we held on and got the three points, which was great.

“Through all this there have been no snide remarks or awkwardness between players, none of that, and it’s massive for a club like us.

“We are up front, we say what we mean and hopefully now we’ll kick on.”

For all the talk of improvement in performances since the last home defeat against Brentford, the numbers have made for depressing reading for the Wanderers fans.

Ameobi insists negativity has not been able to permeate the training ground, however, and after a tough result against Aston Villa before the international break Parkinson’s decision to give players some time to themselves has proved a match-winner in itself.

“It had hit a couple of the players hard so some of us needed a few days to get our heads back together.

“Credit to the manager for the way he’s handled it.

“If you don’t want to read about not winning a game, just don’t read it – but it’s on the board now and hopefully we can kick on.

“We didn’t really talk about it between the lads.

“Everyone has been quite positive even though we hadn’t won a game all season. They are a great group and I get on with them all.”