WANTED - A TOUCH OF CLASS

"We've taken a terrible kick in the teeth," the Burnden captain conceded, "but team spirit's high. If we can continue to play the way we played against QPR, we'll be okay.

"We know we've missed a chance to pick up some points but the performance has given our confidence a lift. We've got character and we'll lift each other - that's no problem. They're a great bunch of lads and the dressing room's fine."

There is no denying Wanderers are on the ropes after being hit by Daniel Dichio's sucker punch in the closing minutes of Saturday's survival 'six-pointer'. They know they missed out on a glorious opportunity to haul themselves away from the foot of the table and suffered their cruellest blow yet in a Premiership campaign that is proving tougher than anyone could ever have imagined.

But there were encouraging signs to support Patterson's brave words.

Just an hour after being introduced to his new teammates for the first time, £700,000 new boy Steve McAnespie made an impressive debut at right back. Then there was the return of the Prodigal Son.

In one of the most stimulating illustrations of the harmony between supporters and their team, Alan Stubbs received the warmest reception he could ever have imagined and responded with his most inspired performance of the season. In turn, the fans struck up choruses of "Stubbsy for England".

It would be crass, even premature, to talk of "forgiving and forgetting" but Patterson's praise said it all: "He was brilliant! Back to his best.

"He's getting on with his game and that's what we want."

Alas, McAnespie and Stubbs were unable to make their mark where it mattered as Wanderers wasted a chance to kickstart their season. Indeed, Stubbs missed a tackle that allowed Trevor Sinclair to set up the matchwinner, blighting an otherwise faultless performance in a defeat that was a severe shock to the system.

If there are any 'easy pickings' in the top flight then QPR is one. This was a fixture Bolton were expected to win - and it turned out to be one they could have won.

They saw enough of the ball, gave enough in terms of effort and determination, but they lacked the cutting edge, the star quality that turns dominance into goals and supremacy into points. In short, they lacked Premier League class.

Rangers had it in the shape of Sinclair, who had the power, the confidence and the skill to turn an 89th minute counter-attack into a chance for Dichio to head his fifth goal of the season.

Wanderers are kicking themselves for being caught on the break. They were committed to pressing for the matchwinner but were punished mercilessly, not for the first time this season, for losing possession on the edge of their opponents' penalty area.

Not for the first time in the game either! The goal was a carbon copy of a chance Sinclair set up and Dichio squandered with a poor header in the 74th minute! Wanderers survived two other scares - Simon Osborn's shot hit Keith Branagan's right hand post and Jimmy Phillips cleared off the line from Simon Barker - but they couldn't cash in on their good fortune.

Juergen Sommer made imporant saves from Stubbs and Alan Thompson and reserved his best for last by denying Richard Sneekes a spectacular injury-time equaliser. Otherwise the Rangers defence kept the Bolton attack away from the real danger areas.

Yet the second half performance always offered hope of the goal that would have made all the difference. It was frustrating but it offered Roy McFarland hope for the future.

"It was a cruel blow," the manager admitted, "but I was pleased with the team and pleased with how we played.

"The defeats at Manchester United and Liverpool were a little bit soul destroying but we can take a lot of heart from this one. The crowd were supportive and backed us to the last. They were with us right to the final whistle because they recognised what we had put into the performance."

The disappointment was evident and understandable at the end but the boos were directed at the man in the middle. Supporters, players and management were united in their fury at referee Jeff Winter.

For the second successive week, Wanderers have been involved in a game handled by an official who doesn't come up to Premier League scratch.

The Middlesbrough man ignored appeals for a debateable 76th minute penalty when Alan McDonald appeared to handle the ball but his eccentricities were highlighted when he waved 'play on' when Danny Maddix tripped Fabian de Freitas in full flight. Red cards have been issued for less!

McFarland lept over the touchline to protest but was calm when he complained later: "We're not supposed to criticise referees and I can't say he influenced the result in any way but he made one or two strange decisions.

"He made it very difficult for himself out there."

Wanderers made it difficult for themselves too with players failing to live up to their own reputations, let alone produce the qualities that are essential for success at the very highest level.

They have the pattern and the shape right but it is pointless playing 4-4-2 if the wide players can't deliver. Thompson and David Lee have proved in the past they can be the scourge of defences but both appear to be desperately short on confidence.

De Freitas has shown in the early games that he can upset quality central defenders but Maddix, McDonald and Karl Ready held him and John McGinlay in check until the Dutchman was riled into producing a late frenzy of activity.

Defensively, Wanderers are on the right lines. As long as he remains a Bolton player, Stubbs' undoubted qualities will remain an asset which cannot be ignored; Gudni Bergsson is a key performer and Chris Fairclough and Gerry Taggart are waiting in the wings if either player drops below par.

In McAnespie they have strengthened one of the two full-back positions to good effect but McFarland and Colin Todd know they must address themselves to the creative department as a matter of urgency.

It isn't too late to launch a successful survival mission but the writing is on the wall.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.