George Thomason is looking to bounce back at Wigan after his goal-scoring return couldn’t extend Wanderers’ unbeaten run.
Midfield man Thomason marked his comeback from a three-match ban with the opening goal at Blackpool on Saturday.
That looked as though it might provide the platform for back-to-back away wins for Ian Evatt’s promotion-chasers.
It didn’t turn out that way as Wanderers paid the price for a couple of defensive lapses and missed chances at Bloomfield Road.
The controversial dismissal of captain Ricardo Almeida Santos – which the Whites are hoping to overturn on appeal – then left no way back as the Seasiders ran out 4-1 winners to hand Evatt’s men just a second defeat in 13 league games.
But with others in the promotion race also slipping up, Wanderers remain third in the table with games in hand and the chance to regain their momentum at local rivals Wigan Athletic tomorrow (Tuesday) night.
“The great thing about football is we have to just bounce back and we have a game on Tuesday night; a really good game to be involved in (where we can) really try and win the game and get on a winning run and keep ticking them off because there's not long left now,” said Thomason.
“If we can get a winning train going and a bit of momentum it can really put us in good stead for the rest of this season.
“I'm pretty sure if you've seen this division, if you muster up some consistency and win some games and put a really good platform of results together you can go a long way.
“We've lost on Saturday but Tuesday night is a great opportunity to really bounce back in a local derby that I know the fans will be up for and will come in numbers and really support and back us.”
As well as putting further pressure on the top two in the League One table, Wanderers will also be seeking to avenge an early-season home loss to the Latics, who sit in mid-table following an eight-point deduction at the start of the campaign.
And Thomason is delighted to be able to play his part in looking for a 10th away win of the season after his sending off at Northampton Town earlier this month led to an unwanted spell on the sidelines.
“It's brilliant to be back,” the midfielder added after his fourth goal of the season at the weekend. “It's been hard to watch from the stands because you get that nervous energy and really want the boys to do well, especially when you can't influence the game.
“It's given me a really good opportunity to reflect on my own actions because I don't want to feel the way I did after that red card. I was down and disappointed and felt like I let the boys down.
“Now it's given me a chance to really be conscious of what I'm doing on the pitch without losing that competitive edge because the consequences can be pretty rough.”
Watch George's full post-match interview from Blackpool on Wanderers TV