Boss Ian Evatt expects a positive Wanderers’ response as they look to finish the job they’ve started.
The Whites face Fleetwood Town in their final home game on Saturday knowing that maximum points from their last two fixtures will guarantee a top-six finish and a crack at the play-offs.
A first defeat in eight matches against Accrington Stanley on Tuesday night removed the ‘comfort blanket’ of Wanderers’ game in hand.
But Evatt’s side remains fifth in the table, two points ahead of Peterborough United – who are one place outside the play-off zone – and with their fate in their own hands.
“I don’t think we did a great deal wrong on Tuesday, apart from taking our chances,” said the Wanderers’ manager of the 1-0 loss to Stanley.
“That’s the last bit and the last detail and we have to back the players to be able to take those chances.
“I think we can all agree that one thing we’ve got as a group and as a squad is when we get knock-backs we come back fighting and we get reactions and I think we’ll get a reaction on Saturday.
“I think we’ll see a really positive performance and we’ll do all we can to try and win the game.
“We can’t worry about other results elsewhere or worry about Bristol Rovers next week. We have to worry about Fleetwood Town, give them the respect they rightly deserve and try and win on Saturday.”
Wanderers, Derby County and Peterborough are fighting it out for the two remaining play-off spots as the Whites look to keep alive the possibility of adding promotion to their Papa Johns Trophy triumph.
Saturday’s results could determine whether the race goes to the final day but Evatt isn’t looking any further than Fleetwood as his side aims to extend a season that has already delivered so much.
“If you’d sat us all here in July and said: ‘you’ve got two games to finish fifth in the table and you’d have won the Papa Johns Trophy’ I think we’d have all taken that,” added Evatt, whose side has overcome the loss of some key players to stay firmly in the mix.
“We’re still in position ‘A’ and we have to make sure we finish it off. We have to ignore what the others are doing, ignore what fixtures they have and focus fully on winning two fixtures. That’s really the bottom line and that starts on Saturday.
“We’ve progressed and progression is the key word here. But when you’ve been in the top six since September we want to make sure we finish the job in that top six and go from there.
“But, for now, our focus can’t be on anywhere other than Fleetwood on Saturday.”