Ian Evatt wants Wanderers to make the most of the opportunity presented by back-to-back home games before signing off for an international break.
Evatt’s men take on Stevenage tonight (Tuesday) before facing another newly-promoted side in Carlisle United on Saturday.
Stevenage have made an impressive start to life back at a higher level and currently sit third in the League One table with just two defeats in their opening 10 league games.
But Wanderers regained the winning thread in the league with a 1-0 success at Port Vale last Saturday and will go above Steve Evans’ side – with a game in hand – if they can secure maximum points again.
“Football always gives you an opportunity,” said Evatt. “That’s just the nature of the game but we have to turn opportunity into reality and that's really the key message.
“We've got two home fixtures to finish this little batch of games where if we can get the right results it puts us back to where we want to be.
“But we are under no illusion. Tonight is going to be really tough. Stevenage have had a great start to the season and they are a very difficult team to play against.
“Steve is a manager with huge experience who is used to winning football matches so they will be highly motivated to come and give us a huge challenge.
“They ask you a lot of questions defensively and they have the best record (in the division) from set plays. We know what's coming and we need to be at our best to make sure we try and get those three points.
“We have to go out there and perform as we did in the first half on Saturday. The first half was exceptional and probably the best I've seen since I've been at the club in terms of our build up and our incisiveness. We just need to score more goals. We need to replicate that first half for longer spells and as consistently as we can.”
Wanderers, who will be back on their two-points-per-game target if they can collect a fourth home win of the campaign, will have midfielder George Thomason back from a one-game ban for the first of three successive home fixtures either side of a blank weekend due to international call-ups.
Striker Victor Adeboyejo is rated ‘touch and go’ to be involved against Boro but will certainly be fit again by the weekend after a knee injury ruled him out of the win at Vale Park, where Dion Charles' seventh goal of the season capped a sparkling first 45 minutes.
Captain Ricardo Almeida Santos and midfielder Paris Maghoma have both stepped up their training to remain on target to return after the break, with Evatt currently getting the most out of a squad missing half-a-dozen senior players.
“Hopefully they're getting into a rhythm which is all-important,” added the Wanderers’ boss.
“But we'd like the other lads back as soon as we can to give us that depth back and that strength.
“But for now, we're just focusing on these next two games with a full focus on tonight to finish this batch of games strongly to put it into a good position going into the break.”
Watch the manager’s full pre-match interview on Wanderers TV. To subscribe, click HERE
Meanwhile, tickets are still available to buy HERE for the game against Stevenage, which is also being streamed live to watch with a £10 match pass available HERE