Steven Schumacher has promotion hopes for Bolton despite defeat at Reading

Feb 1, 2025 2 min read
Steven Schumacher has high hopes with Bolton despite defeat to Reading (Jess Hornby/PA)
Steven Schumacher has high hopes with Bolton despite defeat to Reading (Jess Hornby/PA)

New Bolton head coach Steven Schumacher is excited by the “potential” of his side and a possible Sky Bet League One promotion push despite the dramatic late 1-0 defeat at Reading.

Wanderers dominated much of Schumacher’s first game in charge but 15-goal top scorer Aaron Collins missed a series of chances, and Harvey Knibbs made him pay by slotting in an 89th-minute winner from the penalty spot.

“It’s all so positive,” Schumacher said. “I’m delighted with the potential that we’ve got and, as I said at the start of the week, why I was so excited to come here.

“We’ve got a really good chance of getting promoted, with these players and with the quality that is in the squad.

“With the amount of good players that we’ve got, it really fills me with confidence.

“If we play the way we did today, with the short space of time that we had for them to take on the messages that we’ve asked them to do, then we’ll be fine. And if we put in that work rate like we did today, it’s really pleasing.

“I’m delighted with the performance but, obviously, not with the result. I’m gutted to lose the game.”

Of the penalty incident, when substitute Kion Etete was adjudged to have handled a Lewis Wing free-kick, Schumacher said: “I’ve got no complaints.

“I asked the analysts behind us whether the ball hit his [Etete’s] arm and they said ‘yes’.

“I think that the ball is curling away from him, he’s obviously lost his timing and it’s just hit him. These mistakes happen and no-one is really to blame.”

Reading moved above Bolton and up to eighth place in League One, outside the play-off places only on goal difference.

“Going late into the game, we had a good structure and looked really strong,” Reading manager Noel Hunt said. “And I thought that the boys looked calm.

“We mixed the game up well today, which is exactly what we were looking for.

“Everyone on the pitch for us was outstanding and also the subs who came on.

“And even the boys behind me [in the dug-out] were giving all the encouragement they could. It was just great to hear that.”

Jayden Wareham replaced Sam Smith, Reading’s 11-goal top scorer who was sold to Wrexham for a reported £2million on Friday.

“Jayden is a young forward and it’s hard for any young forward to come into the team in those circumstances.

“But I thought that he was outstanding and grew into the game really well. He trusted his runs and he was reliable with the football. And, believe me, he will only get better.”

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