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Keith Hill praised Chris O’Grady for playing through the pain barrier against Bristol Rovers in midweek.
The experienced striker had just 10 minutes of competitive football under his belt since May before he started for the Whites in their 2-0 win at the Memorial Stadium.
A dislocated knee had delayed his Bolton debut – and O’Grady has yet to make a full return to training.
Injuries to Thibauld Verlinden and Dennis Politic left Hill short of options on Tuesday night but the Wanderers boss was delighted with what he got from his former Rochdale charge.
“We trust Chris and he trusts us to guide him,” he told The Bolton News. “He will do anything for us.
“Should he have played? Probably not. But he was magnificent.
“He is an honest person and that honesty reflects in his performance. It is what the supporters want – honest, loads of energy, someone who will sweat blood for them.”
Wanderers had not scored two goals away from home and kept a clean sheet time since April 2017 when Phil Parkinson’s side put themselves on the edge of League One promotion with a win at Port Vale.
Hill was delighted with the result but he felt the margin of victory should have been greater, pointing to several chances missed either side of half time.
“We had opportunities to get that second goal and I think that could have really hurt us,” he told The Bolton News.
“I think there’s a feeling or suggestion from other sides that if you make positive substitutions against Bolton in the last 20-25 minutes of the game, it will turn. We need to get away from that and start controlling games.
“I think we did that but I think we could have done it better. We have to score more goals, especially when they are pushing forward.
“I believe we have opportunities to win the game more comfortably.
“Clean sheets give you something to build on, especially away from home, and I haven’t got any complaints.
“I think it’s a product of the performances we have put in recently and I am really pleased, I really am.”
One aspect of Tuesday’s performance which particularly pleased Hill was the level of support offered to central striker Daryl Murphy.
The Irishman had cut a rather lone figure in defeat against Rochdale at the weekend but the Bristol Rovers victory was a marked improvement on the attacking front, the manager admitted.
“I won’t criticise anything if we’re putting effort in, trying, representing the values of supporters.
“We are running through brick walls at the moment but these players aren’t league robust yet. That is why we are getting so many injuries.
“We get the respect of being winners. As a club, as a group of players, we have maybe forgotten what that feels like. Wearing that winner’s badge is great and you want more.
“The players haven’t had that for a long time, especially those who were here previously. But it’s a beautiful thing for the supporters. We have to work so hard to make sure we get more of it, get clearer in our thinking and become successful.”
Hill has ignored statistics which have put pressure on Wanderers to get their first win of the season and feels that even in defeat at Rochdale there were signs of progress.
“The work we’re doing is evident and there has been so many people talking about winning football matches but all I’ve been planning for is being successful,” he said. “It has been constant on the training ground and in preparation for matches – and the players are looking better and looking fresher.
“We will eventually become a strong unit over a period of time but that result was for the supporters. They have been magnificent. I know they were a bit down on Saturday after losing but I was philosophical, I bounced on Sunday and Monday, really up for it. I assessed and evaluated the performance I was pleased.”
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The experienced striker had just 10 minutes of competitive football under his belt since May before he started for the Whites in their 2-0 win at the Memorial Stadium.
A dislocated knee had delayed his Bolton debut – and O’Grady has yet to make a full return to training.
Injuries to Thibauld Verlinden and Dennis Politic left Hill short of options on Tuesday night but the Wanderers boss was delighted with what he got from his former Rochdale charge.
“We trust Chris and he trusts us to guide him,” he told The Bolton News. “He will do anything for us.
“Should he have played? Probably not. But he was magnificent.
“He is an honest person and that honesty reflects in his performance. It is what the supporters want – honest, loads of energy, someone who will sweat blood for them.”
Wanderers had not scored two goals away from home and kept a clean sheet time since April 2017 when Phil Parkinson’s side put themselves on the edge of League One promotion with a win at Port Vale.
Hill was delighted with the result but he felt the margin of victory should have been greater, pointing to several chances missed either side of half time.
“We had opportunities to get that second goal and I think that could have really hurt us,” he told The Bolton News.
“I think there’s a feeling or suggestion from other sides that if you make positive substitutions against Bolton in the last 20-25 minutes of the game, it will turn. We need to get away from that and start controlling games.
“I think we did that but I think we could have done it better. We have to score more goals, especially when they are pushing forward.
“I believe we have opportunities to win the game more comfortably.
“Clean sheets give you something to build on, especially away from home, and I haven’t got any complaints.
“I think it’s a product of the performances we have put in recently and I am really pleased, I really am.”
One aspect of Tuesday’s performance which particularly pleased Hill was the level of support offered to central striker Daryl Murphy.
The Irishman had cut a rather lone figure in defeat against Rochdale at the weekend but the Bristol Rovers victory was a marked improvement on the attacking front, the manager admitted.
“I won’t criticise anything if we’re putting effort in, trying, representing the values of supporters.
“We are running through brick walls at the moment but these players aren’t league robust yet. That is why we are getting so many injuries.
“We get the respect of being winners. As a club, as a group of players, we have maybe forgotten what that feels like. Wearing that winner’s badge is great and you want more.
“The players haven’t had that for a long time, especially those who were here previously. But it’s a beautiful thing for the supporters. We have to work so hard to make sure we get more of it, get clearer in our thinking and become successful.”
Hill has ignored statistics which have put pressure on Wanderers to get their first win of the season and feels that even in defeat at Rochdale there were signs of progress.
“The work we’re doing is evident and there has been so many people talking about winning football matches but all I’ve been planning for is being successful,” he said. “It has been constant on the training ground and in preparation for matches – and the players are looking better and looking fresher.
“We will eventually become a strong unit over a period of time but that result was for the supporters. They have been magnificent. I know they were a bit down on Saturday after losing but I was philosophical, I bounced on Sunday and Monday, really up for it. I assessed and evaluated the performance I was pleased.”
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