WHETHER it was by chance or design Sam Allardyce has hit upon the strike force he has craved all season.

Up to a few weeks ago not many people would have thought Bernard Mendy, Henrik Pedersen and Youri Djorkaeff would form a potent front three.

But the sale of Michael Ricketts and the switching of Mendy into a more attacking role has helped to produce the unlikely dividend of Wanderers' best ever run in the Premiership.

Wanderers' two biggest problems this season had been their inability to score and their unwanted knack of giving away last minute goals.

The rest of their play has merited a position far higher than being involved in the relegation dogfight. But until Allardyce could get it right at the two ends of his team, Wanderers were destined to struggle.

The sale of Ricketts was the catalyst for that change in fortunes as it enabled the manager to bring in a rock in defence and gave Henrik Pedersen the chance to establish himself as number one striker.

Just prior to Ricketts' £2.5m transfer to Middlesbrough, Allardyce decided to move the jet-heeled Mendy into an attacking right sided role.

Both Pedersen and Mendy have never looked back.

In the seven games since they and Djorkaeff came together up front Wanderers have beaten Birmingham, Sunderland, Spurs and Manchester City, drawn with West Brom and Manchester United and lost only to Liverpool.

Equally impressive is that the team has looked a quality side going forward and scored 11 goals in the process.

The back has been sorted out by Florent Laville's presence alongside Gudni Bergsson and Bruno N'Gotty. The Frenchman's arrival was funded by Ricketts' departure and a string of clean sheets have provided a solid foundation on which to build their relegation escape act.

But it would be little use without the performances and goals at the

other end which have turned draws into wins.

Allardyce enthused: "The front three are magnificent at the moment.

"There's Mendy with his great pace and direct running, Youri with his clever, cute play and Henrik scoring the goals.

"Mendy has done well and the only thing he lacks is the ability to score goals. If he could do that it would be another dimension to his game."

Allardyce says he would like to keep Mendy next season but knows he has to bide his time and see what happens.

"I don't know what is going to happen with him in the summer. We will make the right inroads to find out if we can keep him or not.

"If he stays he stays, if he goes we will have to look elsewhere to replace him."

Djorkaeff is the man who links things together between the three of them and the midfield and Allardyce is also glad to have Delroy Facey keeping the front trio on their toes from the bench.

"Youri has the ability to find spaces and use them to bring people into play and then there is Facey who has done well.

"His fourth goal against Birmingham was a crucial goal for us and altogether we have a nice healthy striking force at the club."

Pedersen has been grabbing the headlines with four goals in the last six games and Allardyce says the Danish striker is only reaping his just rewards.

"Henrik has been crucial in holding the ball up for the team and putting it in the back of the net."