Danny Batth was proud to mark 250 senior career appearances by leading Wolves to victory at Nottingham Forest – but says no one will be getting carried away.
Wolves produced a clinical and professional performance to make it seven points from four away games under Head Coach Paul Lambert, but Batth is conscious the team need to start producing similar results on home soil.
The captain was delighted with the manner of the three points earned at the City Ground, but believes it needs to become the norm rather than the exception.
“It is a win and a clean sheet, and is something we have to take on now and take into our home games and start putting some results together,” he said.
“We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves.
“It is the Championship, an away game, and both team scrapping for everything.
“You don’t get any points if you don’t do a really professional job for 90 minutes and that is what we did on Saturday.
“We’re not quite halfway through yet and teams know there is plenty of time to turn things around.
“We are one of those teams which want to kick on and climb the table.
“We are not getting carried away – it is a win, and it is a start.
“But it is how we go on from here which counts.
“The fans today were jubilant and really enjoyed it and we have to show more of that and impress.
“It is about carrying this form forward.”
Batth is confident that if Wolves can keep the same sort of solid foundations as shown in the 2-0 win, they have the firepower up front to be able to hurt teams in the Sky Bet Championship.
Helder Costa and Ivan Cavaliero popped up with the goals on Saturday, with Bright Enobakhare and Nouha Dicko also adding plenty of pace and flair to the team’s attacking options.
“It is about getting some quality to those players and making sure they can influence the game,” added Batth.
“And then when they haven’t got the ball keeping hold of them and making sure they are not switching off as well.
“Helder and Cav are coming on brilliantly and you only have to look at the quality of the goals.
“There were probably more goals in the game for us as well.
“We know Forest have had a few injuries and a few players ill but it was up to us to go and capitalise on that.
“The first goal in the Championship is massive.
“We have been through a period when we kept conceding first and it was giving us a mountain to climb.
“I am not saying we have turned the corner with that but we are making strides to do better in that respect and get into a game on an even keel and give our ball players the chance to put us ahead.
“The game management at 2-0 up and keeping the ball was important, and we have to make sure we are learning.
“We ere winning 1-0 at half time like we were at Cardiff but this time we came out and were stronger at the start of the second half.
“It was about making sure we dusted ourselves down and learned the lesson of what happened at Cardiff.”
And in terms of the quarter century mark?
Those appearances comprise of 172 for Wolves, 59 on loan at Sheffield Wednesday, 18 in a similar spell with Colchester and one with Sheffield United.
“I am very proud and it is a nice achievement for myself and my family,” says Batth.
“Hopefully I have many more to come and many more to come at Wolves.
“I am still hungry to achieve more and I think anyone who has seen me train or play would see that.
“I am also my own biggest critic – I know if I have had a bad game and get onto myself about it.
“I think that is the biggest thing I have learned over the 250 games - not to get too carried away when things are going well or too low when they are not.
“Saturday has given us something to build on but we are not getting carried away.
“It is a step in the right direction.”
