Bolton debutants thrill Steven Schumacher in win at AFC Wimbledon

Steven Schumacher believes debutants Corey Blackett-Taylor and Rob Apter showed their quality during Bolton’s 1-0 win against AFC Wimbledon at the Cherry Red Records Stadium.

Blackett-Taylor scored the decisive goal after arriving on loan from Derby on Tuesday, while Apter impressed having joined from Charlton the following day.

Schumacher said he was pleased for his two new signings after they helped his team get over the line.

“I thought they were both really sharp,” the Bolton boss said.

“They were dangerous. They showed quality.

“Corey Blackett-Taylor is the match winner. He had two or three good moments in the first half, where he had his full-back right where he wanted him.

“In the second half we didn’t see loads of them on the ball, but it was good debuts for them, and I am really pleased for both of them.”

The Dons were on the front foot for much of the second period, but Bolton held on to secure their fourth win in their last five League One fixtures.

Schumacher added: “We were excellent in the first period.

“We got the ball down well, and we found out where the space was going to be on the pitch.

“We were really dangerous on the counter-attack, and the goal was excellent.

“The only negative for me was that it was only 1-0 at half-time.

“Then in the second half we had to show character and fighting spirit because obviously the home team are always going to come out and have a reaction.

The defeat leaves Wimbledon without a win at home in the league since September.

But Dons manager Johnnie Jackson insists his side will pick up points if they can replicate their performance against Bolton week in, week out.

“You have to trust what we are doing,” he said.

“It is like I just said to the lads there, if we play like that and perform at the level we did today, you are not going to be walking off the pitch without anything to show for it too often.

“Today we have nothing to show for it, but I think we deserved more.

“But they are a good side, and we have to respect that.

“We made them defend, and they did it well in the end.

“Well take the performance today, and I know if we show up like that week in and week out, we are going to pick up a lot of points.

“We are in the business of trying to get results, and ultimately it will read 1-0 to Bolton, but I don’t think that it tells the story of the game.

“It doesn’t tell the story of the performance from my team, especially in the second half, the way we performed against, for me, one of the best teams in the division.”