THIRD in the table and beaten just once in 10 games, Wanderers are under no more pressure going into tomorrow's Reebok clash with Wolves than in any previous encounter with their age-old rivals.

Riding high and knowing they are now considered a force in Division One, they have every reason to approach the game with confidence.

Nevertheless a return of just two points from a possible nine has prompted Sam Allardyce to give his players a gentle prod to spur them back to winning ways.

The Bolton boss is delighted with the impact his injury-hit squad has made and his belief in their ability is matched by the bookies who are hotly tipping a home win - Done's quote 8-13 Bolton, 13-5 the draw and 7-2 Wolves - but he doesn't want the recent run of indifferent results to turn into a potentially damaging trend.

"We've lost our focus recently," Allardyce admits, reflecting on the 1-1 draw at Blackburn, the 2-0 home defeat by Fulham and last Friday night's 2-2 draw at Gillingham.

Slack defending - first minute goals conceded to Blackburn and Fulham and late lapses at Gillingham - has given most cause for concern and Wanderers will be hoping the return from international duty of Jussi Jaaskelainen and Mark Fish will provide the stability and stubbornness that served them so well in previous games.

But the manager hasn't only pointed the finger at his defence.

"We've conceded some silly goals because we haven't been doing our jobs properly," he acknowledges. "We haven't been disciplined enough. But at Gillingham we had three one-on-one chances and didn't take them. We've got to be more ruthless."

Allardyce has shown already that he is not prepared to sit and watch things slide. Despite having changes forced on him at Gillingham, where Steve Banks and Ian Marshall stood in for Jaaskelainen and Fish, he saw fit to make three others. Isaiah Rankin was restored to the attack in place of Michael Ricketts, Simon Charlton returned at left back the expense of Anthony Barness and Kevin Nolan was given his first senior start in preference to Franck Passi.

The youngster had an impressive game and is likely to keep his place, although the manager suggested today that, with Nottingham Forest coming to the Reebok next Tuesday, he intends making full use of his squad over the two games.

While calling for improvements, he remains upbeat about Wanderers' showing so far.

"Our performances, which have been exceptional at times, have clouded over all the problems we have had to contend with from early in the pre-season," he points out. "Results perhaps have made people forget, but I haven't.

"The performance at Gillingham was very, very good, apart from the last 10 minutes. Scoring two goals away from home and still being two goals up going into the last 12 minutes or so ... we should have seen the game out. We've got to get back to the scenario where of not conceding so that, if we score one or two goals, we know we'll get the three points."

Wolves, who have lost just one of their last six games but haven't won away from Molineux since the final game of last season, are hoping French defender Ludo Pollet will be fit but are expected to be without captain Kevin Muscat and fellow defender Ryan Green.