THE transfer of Michael Ricketts has been the catalyst for an upturn in fortunes for Wanderers and one player in particular.

Henrik Pedersen played second fiddle in the striker pecking order before Michael Ricketts' £2.5 million move to Middlesbrough.

Since then the 27-year-old Dane, nicknamed The Carpenter has chipped away, at Premiership defences and carved out a vital four goals in six games.

His manager reckons he has been one of the two major reasons for Wanderers' best ever Premiership run of four wins and two draws in the seven games since he replaced Ricketts as the Reebok Stadium's number one striker.

"Our improvement is because we have closed the door at the back and opened the door up front," Allardyce ventured.

"And our main goalscorer is scoring goals. Henrik's four goals in six has been a crucial contribution."

Allardyce is delighted with the manner that Pedersen has emerged from the shadows since taking on the responsibility as sole striker.

"His emergence has come about by Michael Ricketts' departure and by me telling him to show me that he can be our number one striker.

"Previously he did not feel he was the number one or that he had been given the opportunity to be on the front line but he had and he still does have the capability to interchange positions and play out wide.

"But goals and good performances breed confidence. Now he feels he is the number one striker at the club and I feel that way too."