DISAPPOINTMENT was clear in the Wanderers dressing room after two points slipped their grasp at Exeter City, but Ricardo Santos believes it would be self-destructive to play the ‘blame game’.

In the captain’s own words, “three minutes of madness” after half time had transformed the game at St James Park from one that Bolton were dominating into one where they trailed 2-1.

Eoin Toal’s header did ensure a point in the end but Derby’s win at Bristol Rovers meant the Rams finished the weekend in the second automatic promotion spot behind Portsmouth.

The proximity of Tuesday night’s home game against Oxford – another side in the play-off hunt – means there can be no dwelling on a frustrating afternoon in Devon.

Santos said: “I thought it was comfortable first half but we would have liked to have scored more goals.

“Second half we had three minutes of madness, everyone is disappointed.

“You have to try and take positives. Games are still coming thick and fast and there are nine to go, no-one is blaming each other, we have to keep going.

“We’ll watch it back Monday, learn from it, and go again Tuesday.”

Barnsley’s 5-1 home defeat to Lincoln emphasised how form can quickly turn at this stage of the season but Bolton need to produce something against Oxford and Derby in their final two games before the international break to guarantee they stay in the mix.

“It is disappointing to have got up to second place last weekend and now drop down again,” Santos reflected.

“At the moment the goals we are conceding at the back are scruffy ones and we are not usually a team that concedes goals like that. We have to work on it, try and learn from those mistakes, and keep going. It is tight up there in the table and the games are ticking off fast.

“We need to stay positive. We have two big games now and we need to focus on them, starting with Oxford.

“The whole camp has to stay positive and pushing each other.

“And as the gaffer said to us that we have to keep going, we can’t be blaming each other. We are a team.”

Wanderers struggled to make their territorial advantage count in the first half at Exeter, Paris Maghoma’s 33rd minute goal the only reward for a one-sided half of football.

But two quickfire goals from Sonny Cox – both seemingly aided by some questionable goalkeeping and defending – gave the home side a shock lead at the second period.

“We have been in some good positions, we were dominant, we were basically around their penalty box for the whole first half,” Santos said.

“They are a decent side but we wanted to come in two or three up, the 1-0 gave them belief. They came out quick for the second half and it is frustrating.

“After the first goal we have to reset. We can’t allow that second one to go in.

“At 1-1 there was a lot of time to win the game. The first goal rocked us.”