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Craig Davies may have to watch his goal-scoring rival Darren Pratley from the sidelines on Saturday at Anfield.
The Wanderers striker put on a brave face after pulling up with a hamstring injury late in the 2-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday which, most likely, puts paid to his involvement in the FA Cup fourth round tie at Liverpool.
But he wasn’t about to let that frustration spoil a hard-earned result, nor try and take the headlines away from his born-again team-mate Pratley, who is now neck and neck with him at the top of the club’s goal charts on five.
“I’m delighted he’s in the rich vein of form he’s in,” Davies said of the midfielder, who has scored four in his last six games.
“There was one point in the game where he was asking ‘how many goals are you on?’
“Just after that I hit a volley and went close – and we both looked at each other and started laughing.
“I get on with him really well and I’ve been close with him all the time I’ve been here.”
Davies may well have helped himself to a goal in the second half when he was denied at close range by Keiren Westwood.
But the striker is not worried, so long as the chances keep coming.
“I should have scored with the header but I’d be more annoyed if I didn’t get any opportunities,” he said. “I know I’ll convert them eventually.
“I’m happy I’m in there. I’ll get a goal here and there.
“I would have been devastated if we’d have drawn or lost the game and I didn’t score, but right now I’m happy we got the three points.”
Davies partnered Emile Heskey up front for the first time on Saturday and believes the former England international is in good shape as he heads back to his former club next weekend.
“Today was the first time I’ve played with Emile properly and he’s such a talent, a great player,” he said.
“Everyone knows about Eidur Gudjohnsen because he’s been at Barcelona but to play with Emile – people just don’t realise what a player he is
“He talks you through the game, his touch is amazing. He’s one of the best I’ve played with in football to be honest.
“It’s nice someone can share the knocks. His timing in the air is different class. But I don’t think people give him the credit he deserves.”
Wanderers had laboured a little in recent weeks, and Neil Lennon had demanded an improvement in performance prior to kick-off.
He got it – and while the Whites had to defend to the bitter end to protect three points, Davies reckons they got what they deserved from the game.
“They were in form, they’d won their last three, we knew it would be tough,” he said.
“Everyone in the club felt we could have done better against Leeds, that we needed to up it, and we did that.
“At one stage I remember looking at them and thinking ‘you just can’t get out’ and it was that way for the first 25 minutes.
“Everyone is happy and even when they threw everything at us we came away with the win.”
If the cup tie has been a distraction to Wanderers, then this week they can give it their full focus.
Davies didn’t want to discuss his chances of playing in the televised game to any great length but regardless of who goes out on the pitch, he feels the Whites have a chance of causing an upset.
“Obviously I want to play at the weekend but if it’s not ready or right, I’ll sit out,” he said. “It’s a little bit frustrating but all I care about today is the fact we have won the game.
“No-one expects us to win at Liverpool, so this is a good day out for everyone. But I think we can come away with something.
“We won’t go there to lie down. We’ll put up a fight.
“It’ll be a big day for the whole club but our main aim is the league and that’s what we’re thinking about. Everyone would agree with it.”
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The Wanderers striker put on a brave face after pulling up with a hamstring injury late in the 2-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday which, most likely, puts paid to his involvement in the FA Cup fourth round tie at Liverpool.
But he wasn’t about to let that frustration spoil a hard-earned result, nor try and take the headlines away from his born-again team-mate Pratley, who is now neck and neck with him at the top of the club’s goal charts on five.
“I’m delighted he’s in the rich vein of form he’s in,” Davies said of the midfielder, who has scored four in his last six games.
“There was one point in the game where he was asking ‘how many goals are you on?’
“Just after that I hit a volley and went close – and we both looked at each other and started laughing.
“I get on with him really well and I’ve been close with him all the time I’ve been here.”
Davies may well have helped himself to a goal in the second half when he was denied at close range by Keiren Westwood.
But the striker is not worried, so long as the chances keep coming.
“I should have scored with the header but I’d be more annoyed if I didn’t get any opportunities,” he said. “I know I’ll convert them eventually.
“I’m happy I’m in there. I’ll get a goal here and there.
“I would have been devastated if we’d have drawn or lost the game and I didn’t score, but right now I’m happy we got the three points.”
Davies partnered Emile Heskey up front for the first time on Saturday and believes the former England international is in good shape as he heads back to his former club next weekend.
“Today was the first time I’ve played with Emile properly and he’s such a talent, a great player,” he said.
“Everyone knows about Eidur Gudjohnsen because he’s been at Barcelona but to play with Emile – people just don’t realise what a player he is
“He talks you through the game, his touch is amazing. He’s one of the best I’ve played with in football to be honest.
“It’s nice someone can share the knocks. His timing in the air is different class. But I don’t think people give him the credit he deserves.”
Wanderers had laboured a little in recent weeks, and Neil Lennon had demanded an improvement in performance prior to kick-off.
He got it – and while the Whites had to defend to the bitter end to protect three points, Davies reckons they got what they deserved from the game.
“They were in form, they’d won their last three, we knew it would be tough,” he said.
“Everyone in the club felt we could have done better against Leeds, that we needed to up it, and we did that.
“At one stage I remember looking at them and thinking ‘you just can’t get out’ and it was that way for the first 25 minutes.
“Everyone is happy and even when they threw everything at us we came away with the win.”
If the cup tie has been a distraction to Wanderers, then this week they can give it their full focus.
Davies didn’t want to discuss his chances of playing in the televised game to any great length but regardless of who goes out on the pitch, he feels the Whites have a chance of causing an upset.
“Obviously I want to play at the weekend but if it’s not ready or right, I’ll sit out,” he said. “It’s a little bit frustrating but all I care about today is the fact we have won the game.
“No-one expects us to win at Liverpool, so this is a good day out for everyone. But I think we can come away with something.
“We won’t go there to lie down. We’ll put up a fight.
“It’ll be a big day for the whole club but our main aim is the league and that’s what we’re thinking about. Everyone would agree with it.”
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