MARK Beevers has called on Wanderers to make sure their hard work in the formative weeks of the season is not completely undone.

Phil Parkinson’s side head to Ipswich Town tomorrow having taken just one point from the last possible 12.

And that is all a far cry from an encouraging start in which they had won three of their first five games to sit among the play-off places.

Wanderers have now dropped to 15th and though their hosts at Portman Road would still gladly swap places – Paul Hurst’s men prop up the table without a win in nine – Beevers is keen to see the team take back control of their season’s narrative.

“We can’t keep standing here and saying ‘it’s been a good start’,” he told The Bolton News. “We have got to get back to doing what we were doing at the start of the season which is picking up results.

“All of a sudden, one win, and you are right back up there. It’s really tight and one win can bounce you straight back up there.

“After our start, we want to get back inside the top 10 and stay there for as long as possible. We need to make that happen, though. No-one is going to hand us points in this division.”

Wanderers came in for some criticism in the midweek defeat at Middlesbrough for an especially bland first-half performance which yielded no shots at goal until the 50th minute.

Things improved after that and it was not until Britt Assombalonga’s 95th minute goal on the break that the three points were completely secured for the home side.

“I think we can take something from the performance,” Beevers said. “First half, they had a lot of the ball but apart from the goal we were reasonably solid.

“In the second half, we really upped it and had them on the ropes. We had a few great chances ourselves and if we tuck one of them away, who knows?

“Their last goal was a bit of a fluke. It was a tight game for me. I think we go to Ipswich in high spirits and look to get back on track.

“It’s another chance to get a positive result. We believe that and hopefully the fans believe that.”

The question of belief cropped up in Parkinson’s post-match assessment too.

The manager questioned whether his players had done enough to exert themselves on a game against one of the division’s biggest spenders until they had gone a goal behind.

Pressure at Portman Road will be firmly on the home team, and in particular manager Paul Hurst, who has yet to win a competitive game since taking over from Mick McCarthy in the summer.

“It has been said in the dressing room we have got to start more positively,” Beevers said. “But then on the flip side when you come to places like Middlesbrough, teams are going to have spells where they have the majority of possession.

“Speaking as a defender, if you can weather the storm then you can start playing which is what happened.

“Saturday is a different game and I think we have got to play with more positives from the off, or at least we’ll do our best.

“There’s no major concern because it is still early days in terms of league table, and one result for anyone can push you right up. We are not looking at that though. We just have to get back on the horse and start taking points again.

“As soon as we get a win I am sure we will take off again.”

Wanderers have waited 17 long years to sample victory at Portman Road in the league but Beevers won’t be taking any notice of the history books.

“I am not a big believer in records,” he said. “Each game is different. The personnel is different. Their team has changed over the years as is ours. We will focus on that day and that day alone.”