Bolton Wanderers defeated Birmingham City 1-0 at the University of Bolton Stadium on Wednesday evening, after a goal from Josh Magennis took all three points for the Whites. When speaking to bwfc.co.uk after the game, manager Phil Parkinson covered these topics…
On how pleasing the result is…
It was great to get the three points. It was a tough game and we knew it would be.
Birmingham are a good side, a tough physical team but you have to stand up to them and I felt we did that tonight.
At times, it wasn’t a game for the purist but sometimes games are like that and we have to stay strong as a team.
After the first home game where we drew, it was important to get that first home victory and I am so pleased we did it.
On how the game panned out…
I thought it was similar to when we played them last year.
Two very competitive teams not giving not giving an inch and last time we played, they came on top but tonight it is us.
From our point of view, I am just delighted with the work ethic and spirit we have shown tonight.
They gave us a big lift when we needed it and they are always important.
With the speed of the game in the Championship and how quickly the games come around, substitutes are always important and tonight the lads we put on gave us a lift.
On having ten points from four games and being joint top of the Sky Bet Championship…
We’re ecstatic with that. We know how hard we have to work to maintain that.
We have a couple of days rest now before Sheffield United come to town and we cannot wait for that game.
There’s going to be a terrific crowd here on Saturday and we’ve got to serve up the same as we did tonight and better.
There are areas of the game that we have to improve on and we will be working towards that.
But what a game Saturday promises to be and then nothing better with back to back home games than winning the first one.
Now, we need to make sure to not pat ourselves on the back too much, but we are ready for the weekend.
On how scored the goal out of Will Buckley and Josh Magennis…
I have seen it and for me, Josh Magennis got the goal with the last touch and I am pleased for him.
I thought he was immense tonight. He played against two centre backs who are very good players with Championship experience.
We have to remember he is new to the level and if he does eventually get the goal, three goals at this stage of the season is a good return.
On the double change of Sammy Ameobi and Will Buckley…
I thought it gave us a lift physically.
Nooney was probably our best player at the weekend, he was immense.
I know Yanic got the goal but Nooney’s physical stats at the weekend were at the top end of the Premier League level.
We knew it was going to be difficult for him to go right to the wire again tonight.
We had it in our mind that the wide players that are the high energy players in the team. We have the option to change things around.
On Erhun Oztumer’s performance…
Extremely pleased for Ozzy. We felt that against Birmingham tonight that we needed that little bit of quality.
I felt Gary O’Neil and Ozzy gave us that. You could see the quality they gave us when they had the ball.
At times, Ozzy when he collects the ball, he is so quick in that final third for us.
He is going to get better and better as he adapts to the level.
He is a great lad and settling in with the group.
On Ben Alnwick’s performance…
We cannot forget his save in the first half when Jota had that deflected shot and Ben has tipped it over the bar.
It was a truly magnificent save and as I said at the weekend, ben is a very good goalkeeper and showed it again tonight.
On building on this result going into Sheffield United…
We will be ready for it.
With Sheffield United coming to town, I am looking forward to that game because it will a committed, full on affair.
We have a group that is ready to roll their sleeves up and keep building on what we have done so far.