Steven Schumacher was always confident Bolton goal glut was due

Bolton boss Steven Schumacher felt their 5-1 thrashing of Exeter was a result that had been coming for his side after a run of three successive draws in League One.

The Trotters were at their clinical best and showed no mercy to an injury-hit Exeter side that trailed 1-0 at the break to Sam Dalby’s strike.

Johnny Kenny made it 2-0, only for Jayden Wareham to reduce the arrears, but any hopes of a comeback were crushed for Exeter as Thierry Gale, Ibrahim Cissoko and George Johnston completed an emphatic win.

“I think we’ve been playing really well in truth and the three draws we had on the spin, two of those games, we should have won,” said Schumacher after his side strengthened their grip on third place.

“I feel that the lads have been playing at a good level for a while now and there seems to be a good atmosphere at the moment in the dressing room, but that helps when you go 10 unbeaten. The confidence is there and I think a result like that has been coming.

“In the second half especially, we were clinical with the chances which we have been guilty of not being lately, but I am delighted with today and really pleased for our supporters, who have travelled all this way down here. It’s a really big three points.

“We’ve been consistent with the chances we are creating. We had 10 shots on target today and scored five and we’ve had over 20 shots on goal, so I can’t ask for more than that.

“The only negative was that I am disappointed with the goal we conceded, but that’s just me being picky.”

It was a tough afternoon for Exeter’s interim manager Dan Green, who apologised to the fans for his side’s abject display.

“In a difficult moment we need to stick together, but I apologise to the supporters that came out in great numbers today,” he said.

“I am so disappointed we couldn’t give them more today, but this group is trying and will keep trying to the highest possible level.

“We lost goals at bad moments and it affected the way we were trying to play.

“We got the third goal and I thought we were back in the game, but after scoring that, we knew there would be players that had to come off due to where they are (fitness-wise) but we were opened up and they scored more goals after that.

“We have to learn fast and my main message is to look after each other, support each other and try and get back to the levels we reached earlier this season.

“We have to recover the group and prepare them for the next challenge that is coming against Burton on Tuesday. That’s all we can do and all we can control.”