WANDERERS midfielder Neil Danns is aiming to boost the side’s goal tally this season and provide support for the frontline.

Much has been made of the lack of goals in the Whites’ slow start to the campaign with just four in five winless Championship matches so far.

Strikers Craig Davies and Joe Mason have one apiece while Jermaine Beckford’s only goals have come in the Capital One Cup win at Crewe.

But Danns, who also notched a brace in the previous round of the cup at home to Bury, is confident he can weigh in with goals from midfield.

He hopes that will relieve the pressure on an attacking department short of numbers following the failure to replace Marvin Sordell and land number one summer target Lukas Jutkiewicz – who are both now at Burnley.

Danns said: “I’ve already got a couple this season against Bury in the cup.Hopefully, I can notch a few more.”

Danns’ second goal against the Shakers has been voted August’s goal of the month on fans website Burnden Aces with almost 60 per cent of the vote.

He also scored a memorable winner at Barnsley last season which similarly found the top corner.

And the confident Liverpudlian says his positive approach will mean he keeps trying to get on the scoresheet.

He added: “It’s important to have a certain amount of confidence because it can help you with your game.

“It’s about enjoying yourself and if you do that, then you’re going to play better.

“Having that confidence helps you when it comes to trying a pass or having a shot at goal.”

Danns netted six goals during two loan spells at Wanderers last season, including the matchwinner when the Whites broke their Championship duck with a 2-1 victory at Birmingham in early October.

It may be some way off his season’s best tally of 16 at Colchester United eight years ago but he has consistently got goals from midfield.

And Whites boss Dougie Freedman will hope that continues when the team returns to action against Sheffield Wednesday at the Macron Stadium on Saturday – the side who Danns netted his last league goal against in a 3-1 win at Hillsborough in April.

Danns has started four of the five Championship matches to date and with Liam Trotter, who also netted the last time Wanderers faced the Owls, ruled out for an extended spell with a hamstring problem, there is likely to be even more onus on the 31-year-old.

The Whites have been boosted, however, with Mark Davies stepping up his comeback from a fractured toe and training with his team-mates at Euxton yesterday.