JOSH Sheehan believes Wanderers’ half-term report will make decent reading if they can add another win to the list against Mansfield tonight.
Steven Schumacher’s side have taken 37 points from 21 games, which is their second-highest return at this stage of the season since they returned to League One in 2021.
The promotion race has proven a tight one so far and though Sheehan concedes that there areas which can clearly be improved – most notably the points return away from home – the Welshman remains pretty confident about what lies ahead.
“I think we have been pretty good so far,” he said, with the Whites four points off second-placed Lincoln at start of play with a game in hand.
“I think it’s important we try and keep our heads, keep things together. You don’t want to be getting too frustrated, especially when teams are turning up here with a plan to sit in and make life difficult.
“They want that – in their changing room the message will be ‘let’s get the crowd turned, let’s waste as much time as we can.’ It is how teams have always been here when they come to play us so we kind of get used to it.
“I think overall we have done alright. When it comes to the big moments there are times when we can definitely tidy up. Those half-chances that go begging and put a bit more pressure on you to do something out of the ordinary.
“We had one (against Rotherham) with Joel (Randall)’s header that was cleared off the line, we had a few other chances. And it’s on us to be more ruthless, it kills off any gameplan that the opposition has, stone dead.”
One marked improvement from the defeat at Wycombe before Christmas was the number of shots Bolton put on target, with 12 in total.
Sheehan – whose two goals ultimately claimed three points - felt there was more of an attacking edge on Friday night, which must be sustained against Mansfield.
“I think it was more like us,” he said, “not perfect but more like us.
“We were disappointed to go a goal up and lose the game at Wycombe. That isn’t the way we have been, it’s not a good enough standard for where we want to get to as a club.
“We have to make sure those shots count, preferably get ourselves ahead, and then as I say, all the gameplans go out of the window, especially here at home.
“We know teams come here at 0-0 looking to do one thing, or if they can get a goal ahead. They won’t be changing anything because that is working for them. Why wouldn’t you take more time about things, frustrate us, frustrate the fans?
“That’s where we need to be a bit more clinical with the chances we are creating and get that goal a bit earlier on.
“They can’t sit off us if they need to score a goal. And when they come at us, it’s the time we can use that bit of extra quality and put them to the sword, really.”
A potentially match settling moment had fallen to Joel Randall midway through the second half against Rotherham, and with the game at 1-0 his miss one-on-one with keeper Cameron Dawson looked even more costly when Sam Nombe equalised from the penalty spot.
Sheehan snatched an injury time winner and the headlines but the midfielder felt some sympathy for his team-mate, who left the field to a negative reaction in the final 10 minutes.
“I thought he did well in the game,” he added. “That is the main thing for the team – play well, do your job. Obviously if you can add that end product, great, and if he scores there then the game is finished, kills off all their hope and there’s no stress late on.
“But that’s footy isn’t it? It is always about the moments and especially the attacking players are being judged now on goals and assists, he knows that himself.
“He knows what he needs to work on, and I know he does work hard.
“Joel maybe needs that scruffy little one to come off his knee or something and that can just set him on his way to play with a bit more confidence, get the numbers more to where he wants them to be.”
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