MJ Williams can’t help but think ‘what might have been’ with Wanderers’ season so far.

Though Ian Evatt’s side are on target for a top-half finish and have not completely given up hope of sneaking into the top six, some of their narrow defeats have been playing on Williams’ mind.

Bolton played well but emerged empty-handed from games against promotion-chasing Wycombe, Sunderland and Sheffield Wednesday.

And Williams felt a sense of déjà vu after last weekend’s 1-0 defeat against Plymouth Argyle, another 90 minutes where his side earned plaudits for their attacking play but emerged with nothing to show for it.

“I don’t think we are far off,” he told The Bolton News. “I seem to have thought that a lot this season.

“Plymouth had their best spell at the end of the first half but I think for the majority of the game we were dominant.

“I think that has been the case against a lot of the teams like them who are up there and in the play-offs.

“There have been quite a few games this season where we have walked off the pitch and thought we should have won it, but we didn’t, and that has been the frustrating part.”

Over the last few weeks Ian Evatt has discussed Bolton’s “fine margin of error” in the chase for a play-off spot, which presumably disappeared entirely with last weekend’s defeat.

Many supporters are already turning their attention to next season and what the team need to add in the summer to avoid the dip in form the club experienced at the end of 2021.

Inside the camp, the party line continues to be that while a top six position is possible, it will be targeted. Though Williams concedes it will take something very special, he is not ready to completely write off the Whites’ chances.

“We know we have to pick the points up, it’s no good talking about it,” he said. “We need to take our chances, keep the door closed.

“We all know as a team that we are not far away but it is just about that three points, the end result that puts you above another team to make a statement.

“If you win every game you’ll put yourself in the best place you can.

“We have shown some great stuff this season and we have to keep showing it right to the end now and we’ll see what happens.”

The first of eight remaining games will be at Crewe on Saturday.

Wanderers have not played at Gresty Road in a league game since April 2001 but face a side that has lost 11 of its last 12 games and are currently four points adrift at the foot of the table.

With no midweek game, Williams is confident Bolton will go to Cheshire well prepared.

“Getting back on the training ground for a full week will be good, then go to Crewe,” he said.

“We had a good performance at home against them so we will be confident and hopefully get three points.”