Ian Evatt praised the character of his side after a stunning comeback at Oxford United gave Wanderers ‘a chance’ of forcing their way into the play-off frame.
Evatt’s men produced another heroic performance to twice cancel out Oxford leads in the first half before Amadou Bakayoko plundered a fantastic late winner.
A sixth victory in seven games lifted Wanderers to within eight points of the top six and Evatt insists his side will keep giving it everything to try and bridge the gap.
“We’re still a long way off. We’ve still got lots of work to do. There are 15 more games to go,” said the Wanderers’ boss.
“I had a points’ total and a target in my head which we’ve shared with the players and that’s one tick.
“We need plenty more before we even start to think about it.
“For now we have to concentrate on working hard and improving and keeping the group in one piece.
“And if we do that we’ve got a chance – but it’s only a chance.
“To grasp that opportunity is going to take a lot of hard work, a lot of good results and it’s going to take everybody.
“We’re going to have share the responsibility and we’re going to need the fans. They were outstanding today and at home we’re going to need to create an atmosphere and a tough environment for the opposition.
“Then, we may have a chance, we may not. We have left it too late but we’re going to fight tooth and nail to give it our best shot.”
The travelling fans were in seventh heaven as Wanderers extended their unbeaten run to seven games to continue to put pressure on the teams above them.
Bakayoko made it three goals in four games with the 87th-minute winner after wing-backs Declan John and Marlon Fossey – with his first career goals – had quickly cancelled out Billy Bodin strikes in a high-class encounter.
“That was a great advert for League One,” added Evatt, who confirmed Kieran Lee will miss next Tuesday night’s trip to Burton Albion after coming off early with an Achilles tendon problem.
Five real, high-quality goals a moment of real brilliance has won us the game – a really good, well-worked team goal and I’m delighted with that.
“In the first half in particular we were excellent. We went punch for punch with a team that’s really dangerous, who score lots of goals and had one home defeat since October.
“But we came here full of confidence and are willing to go punch for punch and again the bench has made a difference and we’ve managed to get over the line.
“Coming from behind twice was excellent; great spirit, great personality and great character.
“We got a lot of late goals to win us games last season towards the end and it’s the same here.
“The spirit and togetherness is great to see. A draw would have been a good result but we’re against time and against the clock.
“We haven’t got the luxury of drawing any more. We need to try and win as many as we can and I’m thrilled with that today.”
Watch the manager's post-match interview HERE