CRAIG Davies insists last season’s “freak” defeat at Reading won’t be playing on Wanderers’ minds when they go to the Madejski Stadium this weekend.

Whites fans will need little reminder of the 7-1 pummelling back in January, which amounted to the club’s worst defeat in 32 years.

Saturday’s game could be billed as a revenge mission but Davies argues his team-mates will be better prepared than they were 11 months ago.

“They won’t fancy us turning up there either,” he told The Bolton News. “I think that game was just one of those things; one of those freak results.

“Every chance they got that day, they scored, but we need to go there and with the same attitude we’ve been showing in the last few games and show we’re hard to beat.

“Everybody would be happy with a good result – it isn’t a case of revenge. Regardless of the score it’s all that matters.”

Davies watched on in horror as Dougie Freedman’s side were picked apart by the Royals at the start of the year.

Adam Le Fondre helped himself to a hat-trick and had it not been for Andy Lonergan’s belligerence late in the game, Wanderers could have been starring at a new entry in the history books.

“I just remember thinking “I can't believe this,’” Davies recalled.

“I've been involved in games like that. It's just like everything they touch goes in.

“Years ago I played for Wolves against Southampton. I think they had six shots and they beat 6-0.

“Then you look at Sunderland a couple of weeks ago, they lost by eight.

“Sometimes it just happens but it isn’t necessarily down to the players just giving up.”

Wanderers have won just once away from the Macron Stadium this season, in Lennon’s first game in charge against Birmingham City.

The Northern Irishman also presided over the only other point earned on the road, at Blackpool a fortnight ago.

“Away from home I want us to get better and I think we’ll have to play a lot better than we did against Huddersfield to get anything out of it,” he said.

“Reading got three points (on Saturday) and Nigel Adkins is a manager who knows what he’s doing in this division.

“But we’ve had four wins and a draw since we came in so it’s decent form.”

Lennon has resisted the temptation to tinker much with his side in recent weeks, leaving the likes of Jay Spearing, Liam Trotter, Medo, David Wheater and Rob Hall out of the reckoning.

Yet with five games to come in December, the manager has warned his fringe players to be ready when called upon.

“I have said to them ‘don’t be disappointed because you are not playing because we need you.’” He said.

“This is a dogfight this league and this is a big month. I need players who are ready to step in.

“We’ll get injuries and suspensions and I think looking at it, I might need to change the team a little bit.

“Rob Hall came on and looked great – he’s really banging on the door now – and Jay, Trotter is nearly 100 per cent fit. We’re looking stronger but obviously I still want to add a bit more quality as we go along.”