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WANDERERS took a big step towards Championship safety in the snow – and Phil Parkinson couldn’t be happier.
Adam Le Fondre’s fourth goal of the season put a dent in Aston Villa’s automatic promotion hopes in front of the TV cameras and restored the Whites’ six-point cushion on the bottom three with eight games to go.
Birmingham City has ramped up the pressure with a 3-0 win against Hull City earlier on Saturday afternoon but Parkinson was delighted by how his team handled the pressure, grabbing a vital victory.
“It’s having the character to handle that kind of occasion, the pressure of being in the relegation scrap we’re in,” the manager told The Bolton News.
“As I said in the press leading up to the game I do believe we have a core of experienced players who are enjoying that.
“Players who have come into the team like Jon Flanagan and Adam Le Fondre have come into the team and looked so fresh. That’s really important.
“And when the heat was really on us to get a result against Aston Villa the players have come up with a performance like that, I’m absolutely delighted. It’s right up there with the very best wins of the season.”
Wanderers will give some of their players some time off in the international break to make sure they are prepared for the final push.
Skipper Darren Pratley will also need time to assess an injury which forced him off against Villa shortly after he had created the opening goal for Le Fondre.
“Darren took a whack on his shin, which he broke earlier in the season,” Parkinson said.
“He was a doubt for the game but he wanted to play. He felt it again and because we had Josh Vela on the bench, who has played for us a lot in that position, we didn’t hesitate to make the change.”
Parkinson also had some words of praise for keeper Ben Alnwick, who made a sensational save from Villa’s James Bree to preserve three points in stoppage time.
“Ben has been very, very good this season. That summed his performances up,” he said.
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/16095994.bolton-boss-hails-aston-villa-victory-as-best-of-the-season/?ref=mrb&lp=4
Adam Le Fondre’s fourth goal of the season put a dent in Aston Villa’s automatic promotion hopes in front of the TV cameras and restored the Whites’ six-point cushion on the bottom three with eight games to go.
Birmingham City has ramped up the pressure with a 3-0 win against Hull City earlier on Saturday afternoon but Parkinson was delighted by how his team handled the pressure, grabbing a vital victory.
“It’s having the character to handle that kind of occasion, the pressure of being in the relegation scrap we’re in,” the manager told The Bolton News.
“As I said in the press leading up to the game I do believe we have a core of experienced players who are enjoying that.
“Players who have come into the team like Jon Flanagan and Adam Le Fondre have come into the team and looked so fresh. That’s really important.
“And when the heat was really on us to get a result against Aston Villa the players have come up with a performance like that, I’m absolutely delighted. It’s right up there with the very best wins of the season.”
Wanderers will give some of their players some time off in the international break to make sure they are prepared for the final push.
Skipper Darren Pratley will also need time to assess an injury which forced him off against Villa shortly after he had created the opening goal for Le Fondre.
“Darren took a whack on his shin, which he broke earlier in the season,” Parkinson said.
“He was a doubt for the game but he wanted to play. He felt it again and because we had Josh Vela on the bench, who has played for us a lot in that position, we didn’t hesitate to make the change.”
Parkinson also had some words of praise for keeper Ben Alnwick, who made a sensational save from Villa’s James Bree to preserve three points in stoppage time.
“Ben has been very, very good this season. That summed his performances up,” he said.
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/16095994.bolton-boss-hails-aston-villa-victory-as-best-of-the-season/?ref=mrb&lp=4