Sheehan: We'll Give Everything

Josh Sheehan says the Whites are ready to give everything for the cause in their bid to edge closer to promotion.

Wanderers face a play-off semi-final shoot-out at Barnsley on Friday night.

And Sheehan knows it’s all or nothing as he aims to help Ian Evatt’s men to victory for the second time this season at Oakwell and reach his third play-off final.

“I’ve had two good experiences in the semi-finals. Both teams leave everything out there,” said the Whites’ midfielder, who twice reached Wembley with Newport County.

“It’s almost like a slug-fest sometimes because both teams want to get there. They’ve got nothing else.

“You just run yourself into the ground because tomorrow, if you’ve lost, that’s your season done. You can’t kick another ball until July, or whenever pre-season is.

“You just make sure you give everything, leave nothing out there and hopefully that will be enough.”

Wanderers go to Barnsley level at 1-1 following last Saturday’s first leg at the University of Bolton Stadium.

That makes it a winner-takes-all scenario in the return with Sheehan confident the best is still to come from the Whites as they look to overcome a tricky hurdle and set up a promotion decider at Wembley on 29 May.

“We know we didn’t play as well as we want to (in the first leg),” added the Wales international.

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“There was a lot on the line. It was the first game and you don’t want to lose the game in the first one and having to climb up a mountain going into the second one.

“Maybe that played on our minds. Now it’s a one-off game. It’s a final before the final and we’ve just got to give it everything and make sure we don’t leave anything out there and make sure we come away with a result.

“We’re confident in ourselves that if we can perform to our best then we’re sure we can get a result and get to Wembley again.

“We’ve won there (at Barnsley) before. We know what the surroundings are like. We know what the pitch is like etc. We just want to turn up and play our game, make sure we give everything and leave nothing out on the pitch and get the win.”

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Wanderers have had their level of support at Oakwell capped to just over 2,100 travelling fans – with around a thousand booked in so far back at the Bolton Stadium Hotel and Fan Zone for a screening of the game.

And Sheehan insists those who are able to make the trip to South Yorkshire will have a pivotal part to play by repeating last weekend’s home support in the Whites’ quest to make it through the tie to face Sheffield Wednesday in the final.

“I felt like Saturday was the best atmosphere I’ve experienced at the stadium,” said Sheehan.

“It was unbelievable walking out and throughout the whole game they didn’t stop singing.

“That maybe helped us when we weren’t playing as well as we could, or should, of and maybe helped us dig in and make sure we got the result and making sure we weren’t losing going into the second leg.

“That helped and I’d expect them to be exactly the same. Even with taking 2,000, I’m sure they’ll be the loudest there.”

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