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Out of the margins and back into the headlines, Liam Feeney was one of the big winners in Tuesday night’s romp against Cardiff City.
The Wanderers winger looked to be treading uncertain ground after being dropped from the squad completely after defeat at Charlton.
But a change in system in midweek presented another opportunity for the former Millwall wide man, and one he took with both hands, bagging his first two goals for Bolton and his first anywhere since August 2013.
“After being out of the equation for the last couple of weeks it was important I put a marker down,” said the 27-year-old, who should probably have taken home the match-ball after missing two good chances in the second half to wrap up a hat-trick.
“I knew I needed a performance. Hopefully I have gone some way to showing that I should be in the team and I can be involved against Wigan. I have got to keep going and training well and then if I get given the opportunity, produce the same sort of thing.”
With midfield changes inevitable because of Darren Pratley’s suspension and a doubt lingering over Mark Davies’s involvement, Neil Lennon will hope any new additions for the derby will have the same impact that Feeney and Co had against Cardiff.
“The manager demands high standards, tells us where he thinks we’ve gone wrong and also when we’ve done better at certain things,” Feeney said.
“He freshened things up a little bit so there were a few people like myself who had a point to prove and I think that can give the team a little lift.
“We expect those high standards too, so after a disappointing result against Norwich it was really important that we bounced back.”
Wanderers can climb out of the bottom three with victory tonight, and a third successive home win would feel all the more sweet if accomplished at the expense of their local rivals.
Feeney was on the winning side against the Latics for both Millwall and Blackburn last season and is keen to chalk up his own hat-trick.
“It’s one everyone is looking forward to, you know how much these local derbies mean to the area,” he said. “Bragging rights are everything.
“More important for the players is that we get another three points to try and push us up the table a bit.
“We’ve had a couple of losses recently but I still think we’ve been playing well, I hope people can see that we’re improving. But after the result against Cardiff I don’t think we need to fear anyone.”
Amidst all the jubilation on Tuesday night, Feeney said manager Lennon attempted to keep a sense of perspective in the dressing room.
And the winger insists there is no danger of the Wanderers squad getting carried away, regardless of the impressive manner of victory.
“We moved straight on to the next one, you don’t dither over one result,” he said.
“We’ll take all the positive things from the Cardiff win and then go on to Wigan.”
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The Wanderers winger looked to be treading uncertain ground after being dropped from the squad completely after defeat at Charlton.
But a change in system in midweek presented another opportunity for the former Millwall wide man, and one he took with both hands, bagging his first two goals for Bolton and his first anywhere since August 2013.
“After being out of the equation for the last couple of weeks it was important I put a marker down,” said the 27-year-old, who should probably have taken home the match-ball after missing two good chances in the second half to wrap up a hat-trick.
“I knew I needed a performance. Hopefully I have gone some way to showing that I should be in the team and I can be involved against Wigan. I have got to keep going and training well and then if I get given the opportunity, produce the same sort of thing.”
With midfield changes inevitable because of Darren Pratley’s suspension and a doubt lingering over Mark Davies’s involvement, Neil Lennon will hope any new additions for the derby will have the same impact that Feeney and Co had against Cardiff.
“The manager demands high standards, tells us where he thinks we’ve gone wrong and also when we’ve done better at certain things,” Feeney said.
“He freshened things up a little bit so there were a few people like myself who had a point to prove and I think that can give the team a little lift.
“We expect those high standards too, so after a disappointing result against Norwich it was really important that we bounced back.”
Wanderers can climb out of the bottom three with victory tonight, and a third successive home win would feel all the more sweet if accomplished at the expense of their local rivals.
Feeney was on the winning side against the Latics for both Millwall and Blackburn last season and is keen to chalk up his own hat-trick.
“It’s one everyone is looking forward to, you know how much these local derbies mean to the area,” he said. “Bragging rights are everything.
“More important for the players is that we get another three points to try and push us up the table a bit.
“We’ve had a couple of losses recently but I still think we’ve been playing well, I hope people can see that we’re improving. But after the result against Cardiff I don’t think we need to fear anyone.”
Amidst all the jubilation on Tuesday night, Feeney said manager Lennon attempted to keep a sense of perspective in the dressing room.
And the winger insists there is no danger of the Wanderers squad getting carried away, regardless of the impressive manner of victory.
“We moved straight on to the next one, you don’t dither over one result,” he said.
“We’ll take all the positive things from the Cardiff win and then go on to Wigan.”
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