Express & Star

Nathan Collins pleased with Wolves' hunger to earn important point

Nathan Collins was pleased with Wolves' reaction against Brentford after the Leicester demolition and believes the performance gives the squad a platform to work off.

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The 21-year-old was brutally honest after the 4-0 defeat to Leicester as he spoke publicly of the 'embarrassing' display and result.

Against the Bees, Wolves earned a hard-fought point and Collins was pleased to see the intensity of training in the week replicated on the field.

"It's a reaction and we said we needed one," he told the Express & Star.

"I thought it was there. It's not a perfect performance but it's a performance that the lads can get behind and we can work on and keep building on.

"There was a lot of eagerness to get onto the pitch. Everyone wanted to get out there and have a reaction.

"It was building up in the week and we were getting at each other in training. It was getting intense and we needed this game.

"We showed a lot of fight. We needed a reaction and it was there."

After going 1-0 down to Ben Mee's strike, Wolves hit back in just two minutes through Ruben Neves and Collins believes that epitomises the hunger they showed.

"Last week we'd have been down and out conceding that goal but this week it's good to get a reaction," he added.

"We were in the game and didn't concede any great chances to them. Sa wasn't the busiest was he.

"But it was a good reaction and Ruben obviously has class about him to finish it off.

"It's Ruben isn't it! Adama does well and he's been putting crosses in, so he changed it up and pulled it back to Nelson and it's a great finish from Ruben."

Collins also put in a superb defensive performance alongside Max Kilman, as they kept potent striker Ivan Toney quiet.

"I'll back Max all day long as a centre-back partner," Collins said.

"We had a game or two when we were off it and I said to him 'listen, we'll stick to the basics and get the simple things right. If it has to go long, do it, if we need to head it out then do it'.

"We just had to be defenders and that's what we did.

"I love it, that's what my career has been about really.

"I had it at Stoke and had to bring my experience of that into the team. It wasn't just me putting my head in there, it was Max with his head bandages, Ruben was taking blows, Nelson put his head in there and Hugo had a good performance.

"We stuck to the basics and did our jobs, that was the main thing. We showed what we can do.

"We created chances again and nearly finished the game off. It's a tough place to come and we'll take a draw."

Fans have been understandably angry in recent weeks but the support in west London was excellent and helped the players to get over the line.

"I don't blame them for being frustrated," Collins added.

"A lot has happened in the last few weeks and we haven't been good enough, but once we showed the fight, willingness and hunger that's the thing they can back.

"We have to give that as a minimum and the rest will come."