Midfielder highlights performance of Bolton back-line after draw with Sheffield Wednesday
Neil Danns was full of praise for the Bolton Wanderers back-line after they kept their third clean sheet of the season against Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday night.
Ben Amos, Prince-Desire Gouano, Dean Moxey and Lawrie Wilson have featured in all seven of the Whites’ league games so far this season, while Dorian Dervite and Derik Osede have also both impressed when available for selection.
Now heading into Saturday’s game with Huddersfield Town having extended their unbeaten run to four matches, Danns highlighted the Trotters’ defence’s contributions so far this campaign.
“Keeping another clean sheet is massive,” said the Guyanese international after Wanderers’ midweek draw with the Owls. “We know we’re competing with everyone now.
“We can see the strides that we’re making and as long as we keep getting points on the board, then that’s the main thing.
“The boys at the back have been exceptional this season. All testament to Prince, Derik, Dorian, Lawrie and Dean – every one of them has been brilliant.
“For me, now playing in a deeper role, they make my job a lot easier when you have that confidence in the people behind you so credit to them.”
Danns continued: “Ben is a fantastic keeper. He has been brilliant this season. Even last season when he came in loan, he was superb from the get-go.
“He is in good form at the moment. With a keeper like him, the confidence spreads throughout the team.
“Everyone works for each other and all the teams that are coming here are finding it hard to break us down.”
Although disappointed not to record three points against Sheffield Wednesday, Danns was also keen to focus on the positives before calling on Bolton to build on the performance against Huddersfield on Saturday.
“It is early days in the league,” said the midfielder. “The main objective at the moment is to just keep getting points on the board, but with a bit more luck we would probably be right up there near the top of the table.
“It’s frustrating that we didn’t get the three points, but at this stage of the season you have to take it as a point gained.
“Sheffield Wednesday are not an easy team to play and it’s best to take the positives.
“While it’s disappointing not to get all three points, we’re unbeaten at home and have kept another clean sheet. Those positives will help us going into the next game.”
Danns concluded: “You can come from nowhere and climb the table in this division. All it takes is to win two or three games in a row and you then shoot straight up this league, as long as you stay in touching distance.
“Huddersfield will be our third game in the space of a week, so if we can go there and get a positive result, then it’s another step in the right direction.”