Brave Wanderers reap rewards of standing firm

IT was with great trepidation that we made the journey over the Pennines to Elland Road.

Although the Wanderers had put in a decent performance against West Brom a week previously, it was difficult to see where we would get a single goal from.

It's all very well playing well, but ask any Bolton fan before the game, they would take three points, regardless of performance.

From the first minute, it was evident that this game was going to be different. The normally goal-shy Pedersen was lively, held the line well and finished a great Djorkaeff ball with aplomb.

Djorkaeff then went on to calmly slot the ball past Robinson. The downpoint was that Wanderers committed the same crime as they did against Birmingham two weeks earlier.

Big Sam must get through to the players that they cannot turn off after scoring a goal. Twice it happened yesterday and very nearly prevented Wanderers from taking the three points that they deserved.

But the team decided to stand up and be counted. A great series of passes resulted in a Ricketts penalty which he converted and Pedersen capped a fine display, and a great move with a fantastic finish.

I hope this is a kick-start to the kind of season the Wanderers fans deserve. Throughout they game, they sang their hearts out, (unlike the Leeds' fans it has to be said) and the players' appreciation was obvious.

How many other teams in our position can boast such support for the manager and team. The only boos that we ever hear are for Mike Riley!

I only hope we start to fill the Reebok and our away allocations with fans week in week out as a Premiership team like Bolton deserve. Big Sam has done wonders with a limited budget and it would be great if the supporters who are willing to turn out against the big teams could make it more regularly.