WANDERERS midfielder Darren Pratley believes last weekend’s last-gasp defeat at Ipswich could be a wake-up call in the dash for a play-off place.

The 1-0 defeat ended an eight-match unbeaten run that had pushed the Whites to within three points of the top six.

They are now five points adrift with eight games to play but boss Dougie Freedman remains defiant they can still secure a play-off berth.

Pratley also believes it is achievable if they get back on track quickly and respond at Charlton after the international break.

The 27-year-old, who has made 28 appearances this campaign and been a regular in the midfield since the start of 2013, said: “We are disappointed the run we have been on has come to an end, but we have to dust ourselves down.

“We have been on a great run so we won’t be too down on ourselves.

“It is all good when things are going well for everyone to be smiling and patting each other on the back.

“This has given us another little wake-up call.

“Maybe that is what we needed with this chance of getting into the play-offs we have got.

“Hopefully, we can get the right response and win our next game at Charlton.”

Pratley admits that the return to Championship action at The Valley cannot come quickly enough with an elongated break not ideal after a defeat.

But he does not want to dwell too much on the Ipswich result, even though he accepts it was a setback to their promotion hopes.

He added: “I didn’t think it was the best of games [at Ipswich]; I thought it had 0-0 written all over it.

“It was a scrappy, horrible game and not the best for the fans who travelled down from Bolton to watch.

“We thought we had done enough to earn a point and got hit with a sucker-punch.

“When you are on a high, no matter where you are in life, you get a kick and it hurts.

“That happened to us at Ipswich.

“We have scored late goals like against Blackburn and this time it has happened to us.

“But it may be a kick we need.

“After a defeat you always want to play as quick as possible “It is two weeks to the next game so it is a bit of a shame in that respect but we will be ready.”