ON the next leg of our Grand Tour towards promotion, we ploughed down the A49 into rural Shropshire on a gloriously sunny Spring day.

The excellent steak pie lunch was washed down with the equally excellent Three Tuns pale ale at the New Inn at Hadnall, a watering hole also chosen by the Lancaster Whites.

Hopes were high we could continue our winning run but there was concern that injuries might start to play a part.

There was relief that we now had points in the bag and a small cushion over our rivals.

Then it was onto the Greenhous Meadow and the challenge of trying to find somewhere to park. I have never seen so many signs telling you where not to park and none where to park!

We ended up parking near the distant Charles Darwin pub, full of Wanderers fans. Suffice to say, I will not need to go to the gym this week.

Our fears over the injured players were alleviated as Phil Parkinson made just the one change with Derik Osede coming in for Jay Spearing.

In an otherwise excellent matchday programme, there was one piece of fake news where Russell Slade was credited with being Bolton’s manager – we were relieved to see Phil on the sidelines. We struggled in a poor first half where it looked like the all the recent matches we’ve played were catching up with us.

We were very flat against a battling Shrewsbury side. After whatever was said at half time, we managed to up it half a gear and made the breakthrough when Mark Beevers’ flick-on found the back of the net.

It was yet another assist from Filipe Morais. The relief was tangible as the Bolton end erupted. When Adam Le Fondre, who is a Wanderer, coolly slotted the second we were on our way. Sheffield United, we’re coming for you!

As the fresh injuries took their toll, Parkinson urged the Bolton fans to lift the team and see them through.

The atmosphere in the Bolton crowd was electric and the scenes at the end were heart-warming to say the least.

There is real hope that this season might end up in tears of joy for a change.

The growing injury list is worrying. We needed heroes and the whole squad has stepped up.  Let’s keep it going for the last seven matches.