Steven Schumacher relieved as Bolton beat nine-man AFC Wimbledon

Steven Schumacher was a relieved man after his Bolton side bounced back with only their second League One win of the campaign against nine-man AFC Wimbledon.

Bolton had recorded four consecutive 1-1 draws for the first time in the club’s history but their efforts to break that chain were aided by a straight red for Marcus Browne just after half-time and a late second yellow card for Joe Lewis.

Hull loanee Mason Burstow had put the home side ahead midway through the first half with an opportunistic finish and, once the Dons were down to 10, goals from Amario Cozier-Duberry and Joel Randall underlined their dominance.

“We had told the players before the game that it was must-win,” said Schumacher.

“We felt we had been playing really well but having four draws on the spin, we felt we had dropped points we shouldn’t have dropped and so the win was the most important thing.

“Weirdly, I don’t think we played as well, certainly early in the game, as we have in most of those games. I thought it was a little bit scruffy, but we got a goal from a set-piece and settled everyone down, as we did against Plymouth last time we won here.

“I do think we defended well because for a long time the game felt quite an even one, and Wimbledon are a good side.

“So, this was an important win for us and it’s another clean sheet which gets everyone going again.”

Wimbledon will look back at an early header from Matty Stevens with the game still goalless which glanced off the post, and another headed chance for Alistair Smith at 1-0 when they still had a full complement.

Manager Johnnie Jackson could find little reason for cheer after the final whistle, however, and will now lose both Browne and Lewis for next weekend’s home game against Rotherham.

“It was a tough day, everything that could go wrong did go wrong,” he said.

“We got in at half-time one down and didn’t really play well but felt we had a chance to get back in the game, started the second half brightly, but going down to 10 changed our chances.

“Going down to nine it was just damage limitation, keep the score down.

“Browne’s is a red card, it was a bad tackle. Joe’s seems harsh, especially as in the build-up to both, we felt we should have had a foul. But they reacted the wrong way, it was a bit of frustration.

“We lost our discipline at key moments and you can’t do that here, they are too good a team.”