Bolton not caught out by Championship - Schumacher

Schumacher says Bolton have handled Championship football well despite recent losses, claiming only one opponent has been clearly superior.

Bolton manager Steven Schumacher has defended his side's Championship campaign, insisting they have not been caught out by the level of competition despite a recent dip in form. After an impressive run that included a 3-1 win at Wolves, Bolton have failed to win in three matches and conceded eight goals, including a 5-0 home defeat to Middlesbrough. They lost 3-2 at home to Bristol City on Saturday, slipping to 19th in the table.

Schumacher told BBC Radio Manchester he believes the results do not reflect his team's performances. "There's only one game out of the 13 that we've played in the league that we can honestly come off the pitch and say, 'you know what, they were miles better than us'," he said, referring to QPR. He acknowledged the league is punishing but urged his players to keep believing, saying they have given themselves chances to win in nearly every match and have performed well for large periods despite late-game collapses.