The last time Nigel Pearson called for a reaction from Rob Atkinson, he scored twice including a last-minute header in a 2-1 victory over Preston North End.
With adrenaline pumping through his veins, the 24-year-old described the emotions of scoring in front of a raucous South Stand as "one of the best feelings that I've certainly felt in my life." It came just four days after that 3-0 defeat at Birmingham City in which Dan Bentley and Han-Noah Massengo fell victim to the manager's squad selection.
After the win over Preston, Pearson wasn't going to get carried away with Atkinson's performance and said in his post-match comments: "Look, he needed a response like anybody else. The important thing in regard to Rob is that he’s very capable but sometimes he doesn’t always show it, so he needed a good game tonight.
