PHIL Parkinson is hoping for a lucrative fourth-round draw in the FA Cup after his side grabbed a morale-boosting 5-2 victory against Walsall.

Wanderers came back from 1-0 down to register five second-half goals and spread some cheer among the sparsely-populated stands at the University of Bolton Stadium.

A post-war low attendance of 5,506 – including nearly 1,500 Walsall supporters – summed up a mood of despondency in this part of the North West.

Yet Parkinson was pleased his side was able to offer a distraction as Josh Magennis helped himself to a hat-trick and Clayton Donaldson also ended a near year-long wait for a goal in the second period. “It’s a huge boost for us, especially having been a goal down at half time,” he said. “I thought some of the approach play was decent in the first half, we just didn’t pull the trigger around the penalty box and times and we were a bit negative in our play. We conceded a bad goal and had to show character to keep playing. We did that.

“I think after the defeat at Hull and the negativity that has been flying around the club in other areas it was so important we got the win.

“Financially it’s a big boost for us, so hopefully we’ll get a big draw to give everyone a lift.”

Parkinson was forced to take off Yanic Wildschut for Will Buckley at half time after the Dutchman picked up an injury just before half time and also opted to go 4-4-2 when he replaced Josh Vela with Donaldson.

The decision proved a wise one but Parkinson claimed he did not feel it was right to have started with two strikers because of the demands which had been put on them over the Christmas schedule.

“Yanic twisted his ankle so we brought him off, but he’d been our brightest player in the first half,” he explained. “We brought Clayton on and I didn’t think it was right to start him because he’d been on the back of three games in seven days after not playing many games this season. Obviously, Doidge wasn’t available, and Sammy went down with this morning with a slight injury and we were limited with out options.

“Clayton came on and changed the game for us. All strikers need to score and our two have got two and three between them.”

On Magennis, who had not scored since September but now has seven goals to his name this season, Parkinson added: “He’s found himself out of the team recently but those goals will do him the world of good.

“I think he can work harder for the team. I think he can do more.

“But striker want to score and if you put the ball in the right areas he is a good finisher and he showed that.”