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Tim Ream is delighted to see on-song Darren Pratley finally hit his groove.
With three goals in three games, Pratley is in the form of his Wanderers career and one of a handful of rejuvenated cases since Neil Lennon’s arrival.
But the 29-year-old former Swansea City midfielder’s example is all the more remarkable considering his near-constant battle with the terrace boo-boys throughout the three-and-a-half years of his Bolton career to date.
It has been a long wait for Pratley to start winning over his doubters but Ream feels it is starting to happen.
“You can go half seasons, seasons and not really find your groove,” he told The Bolton News. "But he has really found it in the last six, seven, eight games.
“It's not just the goals, it is the performances he is putting in with his work up and down the left side and throughout the middle.
“He is just a workhorse and he is going to give you everything he has.”
Pratley had managed two goals in each of his three seasons for Wanderers and had not scored a league goal since August 2013 before netting the winner against Millwall just before Christmas.
He then added the winner against Blackburn in the Boxing Day derby before volleying a third in three games just 49 seconds into Sunday’s defeat at Huddersfield Town.
And Ream reckons he is worth the plaudits that are coming his way.
“He is on fire - but that's the way he is,” he said. “He puts it in every day in training and everyone is seeing the benefit of that on game days. Whether people knew he could finish like he has done in last couple of games, I'm not sure. But he is definitely lifting the team.”
Although Craig Davies still heads the club’s scoring charts going into 2015 with five, Pratley drew level with Matt Mills on four with his goal at the John Smith’s Stadium.
And the vice-captain has tipped Pratley to add a few more before the end of the season.
“People always talk about his Swansea days and he was a massive handful then – now I believe he’s back to his best and Bolton fans are seeing what he’s all about,” he added.
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With three goals in three games, Pratley is in the form of his Wanderers career and one of a handful of rejuvenated cases since Neil Lennon’s arrival.
But the 29-year-old former Swansea City midfielder’s example is all the more remarkable considering his near-constant battle with the terrace boo-boys throughout the three-and-a-half years of his Bolton career to date.
It has been a long wait for Pratley to start winning over his doubters but Ream feels it is starting to happen.
“You can go half seasons, seasons and not really find your groove,” he told The Bolton News. "But he has really found it in the last six, seven, eight games.
“It's not just the goals, it is the performances he is putting in with his work up and down the left side and throughout the middle.
“He is just a workhorse and he is going to give you everything he has.”
Pratley had managed two goals in each of his three seasons for Wanderers and had not scored a league goal since August 2013 before netting the winner against Millwall just before Christmas.
He then added the winner against Blackburn in the Boxing Day derby before volleying a third in three games just 49 seconds into Sunday’s defeat at Huddersfield Town.
And Ream reckons he is worth the plaudits that are coming his way.
“He is on fire - but that's the way he is,” he said. “He puts it in every day in training and everyone is seeing the benefit of that on game days. Whether people knew he could finish like he has done in last couple of games, I'm not sure. But he is definitely lifting the team.”
Although Craig Davies still heads the club’s scoring charts going into 2015 with five, Pratley drew level with Matt Mills on four with his goal at the John Smith’s Stadium.
And the vice-captain has tipped Pratley to add a few more before the end of the season.
“People always talk about his Swansea days and he was a massive handful then – now I believe he’s back to his best and Bolton fans are seeing what he’s all about,” he added.
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