Aaron Collins came to Wanderers “to be a winner” and is determined to help the side achieve their goals heading into the final fixtures.

The 2-2 draw against Shrewsbury in midweek was a blow to the Whites’ automatic promotion hopes but – if Derby do clinch second spot – there are still potentially three huge games ahead in the play-offs.

“It has not fully gone to plan but we cannot close the door on that,” Collins told The Bolton News.

“You never know what is going to happen in the next two games and it if goes into the play-offs, we will be ready for it.

“The lads have been chasing it all season, it is our goal. I came to this club because I want to be a winner, I want to be a champion, I want to get promoted and play at a higher level.

“Seeing the season out, being in mid-table etc – that is not where anyone wants to be as a player.

“You want to be at the top, challenging for promotions and scoring in the big games. You want to be playing in a higher league next season.”

Collins has forged a partnership with Jon Dadi Bodvarsson in recent weeks but the Icelander will miss the rest of the campaign through injury.

“It is frustrating for the team as well as from an individual point of view,” the Welshman continued.

“Coming into the team, I have had a good run with Jon. I feel like I have been playing well and scoring.

“You build partnerships, especially as strikers, where you are used to playing with someone and know what you have to do to get the best out of each other.

“I have been enjoying it and Jon has got on the scoresheet as well, you obviously want your strikers out there scoring goals.

“When I first came in, we had loads of defenders injured and it seems to have gone the other way now.

“Dion and now Dan have come back, it would have only been me and Cameron left! It has been frustrating for the team and I am gutted for Jon.”

Cameron Jerome came into the starting line-up in midweek and managed to get on the scoresheet, but Bolton could not quite find a winner on the night.

“It was frustrating on Tuesday, obviously coming off the back of a game we felt like we should win,” Collins reflected.

The xG, the possession, everything led to us winning but we conceded two sloppy goals and did not take all our chances.

“Going into Port Vale, we just have to go and win. It is either going to be carrying momentum into the play-offs, or the luck falls with us and Derby slip up.

“It is what it is, but we need to put ourselves in the best spot and unfortunately we did not on Tuesday.”