Town boss salutes Eastham's perfect timing

Eastham (26) joined the club from Rochdale in the summer, and after several near misses in recent months, finally bagged his first goal for the club as he nodded in Bobby Grant’s centre after Amari’i Bell had won the ball back to help Town regain the lead in the 3-1 win at Oxford United.

It came in his 37th appearance of the season and Rosler hopes it gives the centre-half confidence.

He said: “Fantastic – it is timely now and Ash comes up at the right time with that goal and I’m very pleased for him but also for the team.

“Ash capitalised very well on that one and I think he will gain confidence from that.”

Rosler refused to be drawn on speculation in the national press linking 22-year-old Bell to Premier League clubs West Ham United and Swansea City but praised the left-back for his starring role on the left wing in a new 4-1-4-1 formation in the win at Oxford.

He said: “Amari’i Bell did fantastic I think he was the outstanding player he made the first goal, the second goal and he was a threat through all of the game.”

Town keeper Alex Cairns, who kept four clean sheets out of five March games missed out on the SKY Bet EFL player of the month award to Bolton winger Filipe Morais.