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By the end of the first half against Exeter City, Josh Dacres-Cogley will have done 24 hours of solid league football for Wanderers this season.
Only goalkeeper Nathan Baxter has managed more minutes on the pitch for the Whites this season – and considering the former Birmingham City wing-back also became a new dad recently, his marathon efforts are not to be ignored.
Quite aside from longevity, Dacres-Cogley’s impact at Wanderers has been pleasantly surprising since his summer arrival from Tranmere Rovers.
Stepping into the boots recently vacated by the hugely popular Liverpool loanee, and player of the year, Conor Bradley, the Midlander was somewhat of a wildcard despite having spent the early years of his career in the Championship with Birmingham City.
Any doubts were quickly assuaged, however, and Dacres-Cogley’s consistency alongside that of the left-sided Randell Williams has helped to give Ian Evatt’s side an attacking balance they had not necessary had before.
Ever-present in the opening 17 games, few had earned their international break more. But in a team which has really found some winning momentum since September Dacres-Cogley reckons the whole squad benefitted from their last pre-Christmas hiatus.
“I think everyone looked at the break to have some down time, to come away from the training ground, reset, and then it’s all systems go again,” he told The Bolton News.
“I don’t think it is just me because I’ve played the most minutes. We’re here as a team and if you are out there playing or not there’s still that mental strain on you.
“Physically you get a break to help you recover but I think mentally, everyone needs one from time to time in this game.”
Had it not been for a nasty bout of Covid at Christmas a couple of years ago, Dacres-Cogley would not have missed a single league game in two years at Tranmere.
That reliability tempted Evatt to bring him in over the summer on a free transfer, ahead of a cluster of other League One clubs and, reportedly, Scottish side Aberdeen.
The defender works hard to keep himself available but says he is aided by the help of Bolton’s excellent medical department.
“I look after myself, do a lot of stuff in the gym to try and prevent injury, I don’t think there is any big secret,” he said.
“I know my own body and if you look after yourself, your body looks after you. That is what I’ve gone off, really, if I am feeling anything then I’ll let the physios know. They will make that decision and I trust them on whether I need to cut anything short in training or change things. But I’ll do whatever I can to make sure I am out there on the pitch and playing.”
Wanderers drew criticism at times last season for being too predictable in their approach, and struggle to deviate significantly from the possession-based game that Evatt has introduced over the last three-and-a-half years.
There are signs this season, and particularly of late, that his players are learning how to take a more proactive role in tweaking their approach on the pitch, depending on the opposition they face. A seemingly stronger, more resilient side has emerged as a result.
“Teams will suss out what you are trying to do and do their best to counter it, or to spoil it, so you need that other plan if things don’t go your way,” Dacres-Cogley agreed.
“We are looking solid, not conceding cheap goals, because when you do it can cost you games.
“We are organised on that and if it isn’t going well out there then we stick together. I think that has probably what has put us in good stead in the last few weeks when we have had to dig in to get something from a game.
“I think this is a good group for that. We have other alternatives if the first one isn’t working.”
Wing-backs have always been integral to Evatt’s tactical plan. A physically demanding role and one which has asked different questions of Dacres-Cogley than the full-back position he was asked to play for most of last season in League Two.
“It is a different way – I have always tried to be an influence on games, even if I was a full-back. I’d try and push on, overlap, that sort of thing,” he said.
“Wing-back is obviously a bit different and you are out there on your own. How we set up and play we like to get the wing-backs involved, creating stuff and causing problems.
“It is a massive part of modern football and it is hard to defend against, that is what is making it successful. The runs me and Rands (Williams) make can kill teams, so we need to keep doing it.
“We always have a little competition for assists and goals, so we’ll run that to the end of the season and see who comes out on top.
“I don’t put too much pressure on myself but obviously I want to be in the situation where I can score more goals, or even have more chances. We are always working on different ways to do that.
“Sometimes it is hard in transition when you are not up the pitch and have to catch up with play.
“First and foremost, you have to work hard and try to influence the game. If chances fall, then you go from there.”
Wanderers have seven league games and two cup fixtures – including a Bristol Street Motors Trophy tie against Port Vale, drawn on Friday evening – before the end of the year.
They remain just ahead of Evatt’s two-points-per-match schedule and Dacres-Cogley hopes to stay around the top two as the club enters into 2024.
“It is always a hard period over Christmas, the number of games you play, sometimes it is the travel as well if you don’t get the right fixtures,” he said.
“That is where you need to stay together as a team and think about the end goal. Normally, if you have a good Christmas period it sets you up for the whole year, so that is what we are focussed on at the minute and we want to give it a right crack.”
Christmas will be different for Dacres-Cogley and his partner, Madeline, following the arrival of their baby son, Leroux at the end of September.
“It is going to be strange having another little human around,” he added. “But we’re looking forward to it!”
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