Dean Bowditch is looking to make the most of the final six games of the season after returning to starting line-up last Saturday.
The winger made his first start since returning from a groin injury in the defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers, playing 80 minutes and impressing in the number 10 role left vacant by the injured Ben Reeves.
With Reeves now ruled out for the remainder of the season with ankle ligament damage, Bowditch becomes the ideal candidate to replace him and that is a responsibility the 27-year-old is relishing.
He told MK Dons Player: “It’s a position I do enjoy and a position I played as a kid coming through the ranks at Ipswich Town. I understand that role pretty well and it was also nice to be back there as it reminded me of when I was a kid.
“I spoke to Reevesy (on Monday) and he said how well I played there. I’ve been trying to get a bit of advice of him which is strange because he’s younger than me but he’s played so well there this season. Hopefully I can take over the mantle for the last few games and prove myself.”
Whether in that number 10 role or out in his familiar wide position, Bowditch will just be eager to play as much as possible in the last six games having been limited to only 12 appearances this season because of injury.
“I know it’s late on in the season, and there are only six games to go, but for me it’s important I use it to kick on a little bit,” he added.”
“Saturday’s game was the first where I felt 100 percent fit and hopefully people could see that with way I was getting about the pitch more. I think I had more touches of the ball in that game than I’ve probably had all season.”
As well as working on his fitness and recovery, Bowditch will also be looking to help the Dons end 2013/14 with a flourish, starting with their short trip to Coventry City this weekend.
Peterborough United’s victory on Wednesday night leaves the Dons six points adrift of the play-off places heading into Saturday’s set of fixtures but although their chances of a top six finish look slim, Bowditch is refusing to give up just yet.
Bowditch continued: “We’re not out of it because there are still many points to play for and if we win every game between now and the end of the season you’ll be probably find us in the play-offs.
“The way it’s sitting at the moment, it’s hard to see us making it but all we’ve got to do is take it a game at a time and now the pressure is off us you’ll probably find that we’ll play better.
“We’ve been struggling for goals which is frustrating for me as well because obviously I want to score as many as I can. All over the pitch, we’ve just not been scoring and it must be difficult for the fans.
“That’s what our focus is on now, we want to play good football but there has to be that end product.
“Away from home we’ve been playing really well so we’ve just got to take that form into Saturday and we’re looking for nothing less than three points.”
