Pre-Match Thoughts: 'Everyone Is Looking Forward To It' - Hourihane

Derby County captain Conor Hourihane says there's no getting away from the fact that Saturday's clash against Bolton Wanderers is a big game - but insists everyone in the dressing room is 'looking forward to it.'

One point and one place separates Derby and Bolton going into Saturday with both sides vying for promotion from the division and occupy second and third place respectively.

Speaking to RamsTV ahead of the fixture, Hourihane reflected on Tuesday's 'massive win' over Reading, with the midfielder the matchwinner, and previewed the visit of the Trotters.

On putting his penalty away on Tuesday and picking up three points...

It was a massive win for us and I was delighted for the penalty to go in and help the team get three points. I've done my homework on penalties with Collo being out and luckily for me it paid off.

On what was going through his head prior to the penalty...

Just the plan that I had before and not to change it. I'd planned it, I knew where I was going to go and I just had to stay the same. I'm delighted that it went in.

On the character in the dressing room...

It's been huge. We had a couple of disappointing results back-to-back and we've been able to bounce back and play really well in the victories, too. We've not just shown character but we've played some good stuff, which is good for confidence.

On using his experience of promotion to help the lads...

The experienced lads are more familiar with the 'run-in', so you try and help the younger lads along a little bit but you look at Cash, Birdy, Sibs - they are all playing well still at this stage so it doesn't seem to be phasing them at all. To add that experience to it, we're heading in the right direction at a key time. I've had a couple of promotions through the play-offs, so I'd love a top two one this time.

On the race for promotion and the teams around Derby...

We're all looking at each other now after every game. When we lost a couple, especially the Barnsley one, that hurt. It's just the way it goes. I still feel that Portsmouth are not too far away, they are in touching distance and I feel whoever handles things the best in the last few games will get over the line.

On the game against Bolton on Saturday...

We know it's a big game, you can't get away from it. Peterborough play Portsmouth each other as well on Saturday, so it will be a big weekend for the top four or five teams. If we can get the result that we all want, it will give us a real good platform going into the last seven games. Everyone is looking forward to it.

On the big attendance that is expected on Saturday with over 31,000 tickets snapped up...

It's amazing. We need the fans on Saturday more than ever. There will be times in the game where we suffer and we need them to get us through the little patches. If we're on top, we need them to make it daunting for the opposition. Their energy and enthusiasm and atmosphere can give us that extra yard. I think back to my first game for Derby against Oxford, that first game was electric and we need that at the weekend for sure.