THE opposition will change and the pressures will mount with every game but one thing will remain constant for Wanderers over the coming weeks - the unswerving belief that their survival strategy is spot on.

It is an unshakable confidence Sam Allardyce has instilled in his players and which is commanding the growing, if sometimes grudging respect, of their Premiership rivals.

"Other managers and coaches are saying Bolton are a very hard team to beat," says first team coach Neil McDonald, a key member of the backroom team charged with implementing the manager's battle plan.

It is a confidence which comes from the fact that, for all their defeats - 16 in all - Wanderers have not been "turned over" since their crushing defeat at Fulham on the opening day of the season.

"It's a progression from last season," McDonald explains. "We've not been trounced and we've been in every single game right up to the last five or 10 minutes. Last season we had four of five games when we were beaten by four goals but this season there's been just the once, when we lost 4-1 at Fulham.

"It's just unfortunate that we've conceded late goals that have cost us dearly."

For all their disappointments, Wanderers appear to have hit form at just the right time. But McDonald, whose coaching abilities have brought an invitation to try for the prestigious UEFA Pro Licence, says performance levels have been high for some time but that they are now getting the rewards in terms of results.

He has no doubts that the Whites have what it takes to beat the drop. "We're quietly confident that, if we keep doing what we've been doing over the last three months - not just over the last couple of weeks - that with a little bit of luck, a little bit of care, a little bit of good finishing, we will be okay.

"Everything's in place and everybody's fighting for a place.

"We've had Ricardo Gardner coming in at left back with Simon Charlton being injured and now Simon will be wondering whether he'll get his place back; Per Frandsen was suspended and didn't come straight back in. Now everyone's thinking that if he doesn't play well, he's going to lose his place."