MATCH REACTION: Modest match-winner Michael doesn't want all the glory

Posh celebrate Michael Smith's goal. Photo: David Lowndes.

Smith was the talk of the ABAX after a spectacular first-half strike proved to be the only goal of the game against the team who started the day in third place.

The win moved Posh into fifth place, but Smith was just as happy to talk about his team-mates and his manager as he was about the third goal (in 102 appearances) of his Posh career.

“It’s special to score the winning goal in a match on the television,” Smith admitted. “But to be honest the sun was in my eyes when the ball came over to me and my touch took the ball inside so I just felt I may as well have a shot.

Posh full-back Michael Smith scores against Bolton. Photo: David Lowndes.

“Luckily it went in. I don’t score many and that’s probably me done for the season. I have a licence to go forward and I enjoy it. I was getting all the praise straight after the match, but there is no better feeling to go back into a dressing room after a game as part of a winning team.

“And we are a team. Everyone played a part in the win against a very strong side who have been among the favourites for promotion since the start of the season.

“We’ve worked hard all season and it’s starting to pay off for us. The manager wants us to win the ball back inside six seconds and if we don’t we just get back into our shape and start again.

“It’s simple stuff and hopefully we have started to make it work for us. We hadn’t won back-to-back League One games before this win and that’s crazy for the squad we have here.

“We’ve now turned over a very good side, but we won’t be talking about promotion. We’re a young side who will take each game as it comes and see where it takes us.

“We talked about it being a massive month as we faced three games in a row against teams around us in the table. We’ve had a good start to that month, but that’s all it is so far.

“We look a better team at home this season, but we’ve also had a couple of big away wins. Fifth place is a great place to be, but we have to build on it.”

Smith wouldn’t have been playing in yesterday’s match had he been included in the latest Northern Ireland squad. He was on stand-by after being part of several recent Ireland squads.