George Johnston feels that Bolton Wanderers now have something to play for in their season as they aim to try and reach the play-offs as he does not want their campaign to fizzle out.
Wanderers have won seven of their last nine games which has seen them shoot up the third tier of English football in recent weeks.
The Whites sit 10th in the table and seven points from the top six with 13 games of their season left to go.
READ MORE: Bolton Wanderers boss Ian Evatt on Lincoln City, Michael Appleton verdict and midfield options
Their next clash is tomorrow evening at home to Lincoln City where Wanderers can make it eight wins in 10 matches.
And Johnston believes that Wanderers now have something to play for in their season, but that the squad are taking it one game at a time to see where they end up and are not analysing fixtures ahead of time.
He said: "There is definitely something to play for now. We didn’t want the season to fizzle out in mid-table so there is certainly something to play for and we’ll just take it a game at a time, see where we get to.
“It has given us confidence, going from one game to another in quick succession, especially with the wins we have picked up.
“But it has meant we haven’t had much time on the training pitch so the idea the gaffer wants to implement, not all of the new players have been able to understand them fully.
“In the next week, when we don’t have do many, then we should be able to learn a bit more.
"I think we’ve won against some of the bigger teams and then not picked up a result where we thought we might have so I think you’ve just got to take each game as it comes in this league. You never know what’s going to happen.
"Obviously, I’m aware of what happened last season but seven points is a massive gap, so that’s why we are just taking it one game at a time. It’s not just about what we do in some aspects – if we keep winning, (the gap) will stay seven points if other teams keep winning. We can only do what we can do and finish the season as strongly as possible.
"I think they (Lincoln) are a very good team. When we played them away they were well organised, well structured and hard to break down. It will be like that again, but with our home form I think we can get three points.
"I think they’ll make it hard for us. They’ll know what our strengths are and they’ll try to counter that as best as they can. But on our day we’re as good as anyone. We have different solutions to different problems, so hopefully we can go and get the three points."
Key to the rise up the table in recent weeks has been the switch in formation employed by Ian Evatt's side, with Johnston now lining up on the left of a back three.
It has meant he has more opportunities to attack down the left flank along with ex-Swansea City man Declan John and the duo have combined well in that regard.
Johnston is pleased with the relationship that he and John have and believes it will only improve with time, which is an exciting prospect, as he explained how the system works at the back with the other central defenders if he comes out to join an attack.
He said: "I have the license to get forward. Me and Dec have got a good partnership with each other, understand each other’s game and know each other’s role within the team as well. We try to play to each other’s strengths.
"Idon’t mind it (playing in a back three). I don’t mind playing in a four either but this gives me more licence to go forward when I can and enjoy it. I think everyone has kind of adapted to it quite well and everyone enjoys that, and you can see it.
"Obviously you’ve got the players behind you to support you. If I go forward, Rico and Geth or Will or whoever it is will come over and cover, and then if it’s the other side I’ll stay back. So it’s just kind of getting that balance and picking your times when you can go forward.
"Someone out of the back five is kind of always trying to press the ball so the ones behind are still in a back four, so it’s similar in some aspects. The jobs remain the same - just sticking with your man, not getting beat, winning your duels, so it’s kind of similar.
"But when you’re attacking, obviously Dec has got more licence to be on the last line of their defence and I can go and join in when the time is right. It’s similar in some ways but then in possession it’s a bit different, a bit more expansive.
"When we are winning games it gives everyone more confidence through the whole squad, especially getting this new system nailed down. We are getting used to new partnerships that we didn’t have in the old formation.
"It’s definitely exciting because we know it’s a new group, so the more we play together, the more we train together, it’s only going to get better.
"The squad depth is very pleasing - when you see us in the 70 th minute and you’ve got two new strikers coming on, it gives you a bit of a boost. Especially me as a defender, it massively helps and we’ve got different types of strikers, different types of players now so we can kind of mix it up if and when we choose to."
