Read back the manager's thoughts following Tuesday night's draw with the Shakers
Wanderers fought out a frustrating 0-0 draw with neighbours Bury at Macron Stadium on Tuesday night.
Despite a late flurry of chances for the hosts, including a David Wheater thunderbolt and Adam Le Fondre rattling the crossbar, the Whites could not find the breakthrough.
The point keeps Bolton second in the Sky Bet League One table as they continue to fight for automatic promotion, two points ahead of third-placed Fleetwood Town with only two games remaining.
And speaking following the final whistle, manager Phil Parkinson covered these points…
On his side's performance…
The effort and the drive for the team in the second half was particularly excellent but at the moment we can’t get that goal.
We’ve had a lot of shots, a lot of crosses, and dangerous situations but at the moment it’s just not going in for us.
It’s another point to the tally it takes us two points clear and with a better goal difference ahead of Fleetwood so it might be an important point for us. We have to now make it a really good point by getting all three at Port Vale.
On his side's current league position…
There’s a lot of hard work between now and the end of the season. We’ve worked exceptionally hard to be in this position and we now have to get over the line.
If you look at the last three games, there’s been some excellent defending from the opposition and you get moments throughout the season where it doesn’t go for you, but we have to make sure we don’t think we’re unlucky and take the next step.
On recent results…
The lads are a little bit low after the game and they’ve put a lot of effort into the last few weeks.
We haven’t got the returns we probably deserve, but I’ve said to the lads they’ve given this team everything and we have to keep chipping away.
Points at this stage of the season are very difficult to pick up as everyone is fighting for so much.
We need to keep going the lads have been terrific and they’re really desperate to get this job done. We have to be mentally and physically prepared to go to the wire.
On the importance of the Wanderers fans…
The fans are living every moment with us. Obviously they’re feeling a little tense but it’s because they care.
They’re desperate for us to get over the line, but they have to stick with us as they have all season and let’s hope that in two games time we’ll be the team celebrating.
And finally, on next weekend's trip to Port Vale…
We watched them last week and we know what to expect from them.
We have to asses everyone from now until then to make sure we have some good legs in the team because it’s a massive pitch down there and we will need players who are ready to go again.
The lads will recover from this and will be chomping at the bit ready to go again.