DOUGIE Freedman is confident his players can handle the pressure as Wanderers go in search of a first Championship win of the season against Rotherham United at the Macron Stadium tonight.

The tension is growing on the terraces after another winless home game on Saturday when the Whites played out a goalless draw with Sheffield Wednesday.

The manager concedes the mood will only alter when they break their duck in the league but says his team will need a patient approach against what he expects will be a determined Millers side.

Freedman told The Bolton News: “We all have ideas of what we should be doing but as the manager I have to make sure we have a good group of players who will dig in and battle and we showed that on Saturday “If anything we were trying too hard at times going forward, but we are not far away.

“It will come when we get our first couple of wins and we are more relaxed.

“Spirits will lift when we get that first win.

“As professional players you have to cope with the pressure to get results.

“We are working hard and just need a bit of fortune.

“I thought we coped very well against what right now is proving to be a difficult strikeforce at Sheffield Wednesday.

“The first 45 minutes we were the better team but they came into it after an hour when we ran out of some legs and ideas.

“It was a good performance all-round and we took something from the game to take into tonight.”

The Millers head to Bolton for their first visit in 21 years on the back of a positive draw at Bournemouth.

And having also won away at Millwall, Freedman expects Steve Evans’ side to be compact and solid.

But he is hopeful Wanderers can get their creative players like Mark Davies on the ball more to break the visitors down.

The Whites boss added: “I have watched them and Steve has done a fantastic job there.

“His teams are always well organised and work very hard for each other.

“They won away at Millwall and at home to Wolves and that shows their ability as a team and they have some good individuals.

“We need to make sure we match them in every department.

“You have to take every game on its merits and we will need to have that physical aspect because it will be a hard-fought game.

“We showed it on Saturday and need to do the same again.

“I believe we have the personnel to do that.

“I think they will be compact and you want your creative players to be the difference in games like this one.

“That’s why it is good to have players like Mark Davies back involved.

“But you do need a bit of patience in games like this.”

Davies and Dean Moxey both came through their respective comebacks on Saturday without any reaction and should start again tonight.

Freedman could make changes, though, for the middle match of three in eight days as he looks to keep the energy levels high throughout his team, with the likes of Medo Kamara, Neil Danns and Craig Davies in contention.