BLUES boss Gary Waddock has highlighted the experience in his squad as a key ingredient of their promotion from League Two.

Wanderers beat Southend 3-1 this afternoon to nail down third place behind Chesterfield and Bury, but it could have all gone wrong after the Shrimpers went 1-0 ahead at Adams Park.

Waddock said: “We've approached the real must-win games in a calm, composed manner. We've got a lot of experience in that dressing room and they've gained promotion a number of times. They know how to get over the line. It was just a case of being calm.

“It was a game we had to win. The pressure was on us to perform and I just thought the way the players handled it and the way that they played, especially in the second half, is a credit to them.

“We didn't panic, and that just shows you the type of characters we've got in there.”

Wanderers scored twice before the break through Scott Donnelly and Ben Strevens before Scott Rendell wrapped it up in the second half.

Waddock said: “The players have been magnificent all season. What they've done in the last ten games to get us in this position has been incredible.

“It [promotion] is not easy, I can assure you of that. But those players in there have shown every single quality needed to get promotion.

“If you look back at the last three games, they were all must-win games. Crewe, and then Bury, where we go a goal down, and today when we go a goal down and then bounce back...that tells you everything about the group of players we've got.

“I was very disappointed this time last year with the relegation, and I wanted to put it right. We've certainly done that.”