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Eoin Toal believes Wanderers are slowly returning to their best levels in League One.
Ian Evatt’s side chalked up a third straight for the first time in 2024 when they conquered Northampton Town on Tuesday night and have not won four in a row since enjoying a 100 per cent record over the festive break last year.
As the frustrations felt during the club’s slow start to the campaign start to subside, Toal reckons going into the international break with another win would be a perfect tonic for the squad after a tough week on the road.
“After the start we had, it’s feeling better, but we need to get a job done on Saturday,” he told The Bolton News. “It’ll be a tough game but we’re looking forward to it.
“After a few away games it’s nice to come back home and hopefully bring some of the good things we have done.
“I think after such a bad result against Huddersfield we’d gone into the next one against Reading knowing we had to win by any means, really, it was just ‘get a result’ because as players you’re going to be down after a heavy defeat.
“But I think since then we have really dug in. Some of the goals against Arsenal maybe weren’t that great on the eye but I think we could even take positives from that game.
“It does feel like we’re on our way back.”
As Wanderers have steadily rebuilt, so too have fences been mended with some of the key members of the squad.
Ricardo Santos and his family had been singled out for online abuse from a small minority of supporters but the majority – and notably those who travelled to Sixfields in midweek – made sure the defender knew his efforts were appreciated.
“It was great to hear that from the crowd,” said Toal, who finished the game with the captain's armband. “Rico is a brilliant player and I have aways held him high in my own thoughts.
“He is a great character and a great person as well, who has really helped me since I have been here at Bolton.
“He played really well on Saturday and then again here (at Northampton) so that’s a real positive for us.”
Toal will be on international duty next week after being selected alongside team-mates Luke Southwood and Dion Charles for the Northern Ireland squad to face Belarus and Bulgaria.
His inclusion in Michael O’Neill’s plans over the previous international break was viewed as controversial as he had been carrying a muscular injury and been unable to play for Bolton at the time.
But he links up for the double header – the first game of which will be played in Hungary – in much more positive spirits.
“It’s always great to represent your country and we’ll be away again next week, so hopefully I’ll get some game time. Last time I had a bit of an injury so I’m feeling good now and it would be great to get more caps,” he said.
“Having Dion and Luke there is great as well. We’re a wee collective when we’re away and it’s much easier having them around.”
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