Megson calls for Bolton desire

Published: 12/03/2009

Bolton manager Gary Megson has warned his side they cannot afford to allow complacency to slip into their game again if they want to avoid a relegation scrap.

Wanderers are currently 11th in the Barclays Premier League but only five points above third-bottom Portsmouth.

After their 2-0 defeat at Stoke, Bolton will have had a 10-day break by the time they face Fulham, one place above them, at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday.

The Cottagers, by contrast, have played twice since then and, although Roy Hodgson's side have now lost their last three matches, Megson is more concerned by how his players react.

"We didn't have very many who could turn around in the game against Stoke and say, 'That was my absolute best'," he said.

"Work-rate, we were fine, but we didn't show the same desire and determination that Stoke did and that is what has gained us a few decent results this year, and we have to get back to that.

"Although it might stick in the throat a bit, it was complacency. We had won our last two games, we were in that mid-table bit where we still are and we wanted to push on from there.

"I had said the week before we could use the gap between ourselves and the bottom three as a springboard or a safety net, and the game against Stoke looked as if we used it as a safety net.

"It was disappointing but hopefully now a lesson has been learned and we can crack on again."