Dion Charles might have to celebrate a “special” first hat-trick for Wanderers with a spot of re-decorating.

The Bolton striker walked off at Peterborough clutching the match-ball and says it will take pride of place in his front room.

“I’m not sure my missus will like it,” he grimaced. “But I have had all the lads sign it, so it’s coming home with me one way or another.

“I was hoping to get a couple of player of the month trophies to go with it – but looks like I’ll have to wait until next month now.”

Confidence, it must be said, is not a commodity Charles has in short supplies right now.

The Northern Ireland international finished the weekend with 17 goals in all competitions, meaning that only Eoin Doyle has now scored more in a single season over the last 22 years.

With 15 league games to go, the omens are good for him to meet his pre-season target.

“I’ve said 20 from the start of the season and some people might have laughed. But I’m nearly there now and once I get there, I’ll reassess,” he said.

Ian Evatt joked that one of Charles’s training ground penalties nearly took out one of the drones which film the action for analysis purposes on Friday.

Nevertheless, there was no chance that he was giving up the duty when Aaron Morley asked him if he would like to hand over the ball shortly before half time at London Road.

“You back your own ability. There is no pressure on the keeper, only on the player, and that’s something I thrive on.

“A few of the lads were joking with me, I’d missed a penalty in training yesterday.

“But when it comes to the big game moments, that’s what I thrive on.

“I am a striker and I’m on the pitch to score goals. I enjoy taking penalties, there was nobody getting that ball off me.”

Charles said Peterborough did everything they could to put him off his stride, including making referee Lee Swabey check and double check that the ball had been placed properly on the spot.

“I was having a laugh,” he said. “The keeper and I think it was the right-back were giving me a bit, saying ‘he knows where you are going to go!’ I was like ‘oh right, OK, cheers… pick that one out of your net!’”

Wanderers moved into fourth with the result and have drawn level on points with Ipswich Town, a team that were 12 points ahead at the turn of the year.

Evatt’s side still have a six-point gap to the automatic spots but Charles believes the result at Peterborough will send out a message to the rest of the division.

“I’ll get the plaudits for getting a hat-trick but it was a big team performance. We all dug in and showed what we were about,” he said.

“It is a point put out to everyone that we mean business.

“We have become men - from boys to men – and we are difficult to beat. The coaching staff have been brilliant, drilling things on the training ground and making sure we take responsibility for our own actions on the pitch. Everyone has bought into it and we’re doing well at the moment.

“This breeds confidence. They are not far off the play-offs and hoping to get in but all we can do is try and beat the teams around us and take as many points off them as we can to get us closer to the top of the table.

“We can’t get too ahead of ourselves. It’s one game, three points, we need to go and back it up on Tuesday against MK Dons and get another three.”