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George Johnston reckons confidence flowing through the Wanderers camp will ensure another good road trip at Sheffield Wednesday.
Nobody in League One has taken more points away from home than Ian Evatt’s men, who go to Hillsborough in search of their fourth successive win in all competitions.
Johnston is looking forward to playing in another of the division’s gladiatorial arenas in what is likely to be the biggest gate in domestic football this weekend because of the international break.
“When we go away from home the manager demands us to be ever braver, show even more courage than we do at home,” he told The Bolton News. “We take to that task quite well and thrive on fans being against us and not having the same noise as we’d have here.
“It is something we are looking forward to, a ground like Hillsborough, because there will be a big following there.
“The manager wants us to get on the ball and play it out from the back and I think you have seen the benefits of that because we have played some good stuff by being brave.
“Joel (Dixon) has really come into it now and he kind of makes the decisions at the back now because he can recognise where the passes are, where the free man is, and he helps get us further up the pitch where the forwards can do what they have been doing.
“It is enjoyable to play in as well.”
Wanderers start the day seventh in the table and have an opportunity to climb as high as third, depending on results elsewhere.
With a quarter of the season nearly gone, Johnston believes the Whites can challenge at the top end of the table for the remainder of the campaign.
“I think we have done quite well so far,” he said. “There have been a couple of opportunities missed but overall I don’t think we can be too disheartened by where we are sitting in the table. It’s a good position to be in, and I think we will be right up there by Christmas.
“What we have seen, what we have played against, I think on our day we are better than any team in this division. We are excited for Sheffield Wednesday, excited for a big month coming up.”
Sheffield Wednesday have won one of their last six league games and have slipped away after leading the early league table.
Darren Moore’s side lost against Oxford United last time out and there is an expectancy among the Owls fans for the form to be corrected quickly that Johnston believes can play into Bolton’s hands.
“It’s going to be a good atmosphere first and foremost and I think the main thing for us is getting control of the game, getting control of the atmosphere,” he said. “An early goal will help but also keeping the ball and moving the ball quick, like we usually do, will sap the energy out of the atmosphere and then we can take control of the game and push on from there.”
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