Kevin McDonald challenges Wolves team-mates to dig-deep and secure promotion

Kevin McDonald today declared Wolves can "almost feel" promotion as the Scot challenged his team-mates to dig deep to make it happen.

Wolves are within a maximum 10 points of guaranteeing automatic promotion with six games left, starting with Saturday's visit of play-off hopefuls Peterborough.

Victory for Kenny Jackett's side against Posh and a defeat for Leyton Orient at Sheffield United would leave Wolves needing a point from their final five games to see off the Os' challenge.

But things should become clearer when Rotherham – who are on a 15-match unbeaten run and can still reach 96 points – go to the Blades in their game in hand next Tuesday.

Should the Millers lose at Gillingham on Saturday and at Bramall Lane and Wolves win this weekend, Jackett's side would be up, barring a freakish swing in goal difference.

"We're not far away now, we can almost feel it, but that's not enough - we've got to dig in deep to make it happen over the last six games," said McDonald.

"Nothing is confirmed yet but we're in a great position.

"Anything can happen in football – there has been big turnarounds before – so we've just got to stick at it and see the job through.

"It will be another hard game against Peterborough because they're a decent team.

"We just have to try to get three points.

"If we can keep grinding results out, we won't be far away.

"We had to dig in deep at Stevenage to get a point and that's what you need sometimes and we'll probably need more of that."

Wolves have conceded just 25 goals this season, a record only bettered in all four divisions by Chelsea's 24, from eight fewer games played.

One more clean sheet will equal the club record of 23 from 1923-24.

And McDonald made the case for the defence.

"The number of clean sheets we've kept this season is great," he said.

"'Kemes' (Carl Ikeme) has been unbelievable in goal and then when 'Azza' (Aaron MCarey) came in he did really well so we're fortunate to have two really good goalkeepers.

"The defence have done so well and what they do gives us a platform going forward.

"We know there's a good chance of them keeping a clean sheet and that foundation has allowed the forward players to do what they've done and has gone a long way to getting us in this position in the table."

McDonald is well placed to judge the effectiveness of the defence as he is often the deepest-lying midfielder.

"I enjoy playing in the position I do and I know I can drop in and pick the ball up from Danny or 'Stears'," he said.

"We've worked it well and I think our football has got better and better as the season has gone on but we've just got to keep doing it for the final three weeks."