The scoreline read 3-2 to West Ham, but the scoreline lied. Bolton Wanderers competed for long stretches against one of the Championship's heaviest hitters on Tuesday evening, came from behind to lead 2-1, and were undone by a weak, late effort that crept in at Gavin Bazunu's near post on his debut. Four losses in a row. Ten goals conceded across the last three matches. The Trotters have dropped into the relegation zone.

Yet the manner of these defeats matters as much as the results themselves. Bolton have faced West Ham, who sit top of the table having spent the previous 14 years in the Premier League, Sheffield United, who hover just outside the play-off places, and Millwall, who missed out on promotion to the top flight by a single point last season. That fixture list has offered precious little breathing room for a side still finding its feet at this level.

A fearless approach without the reward

What has marked Bolton's performances during this run is a willingness to press and attack sides who, on paper, carry considerably more firepower. Against West Ham they played with real purpose, opened the scoring after going behind, and looked, for a time, like taking all three points. Wanderers have shown they can hurt good teams. The issue is that one lapse, one momentary switch-off, has repeatedly cost them.

Against Millwall it was goalkeeper Jack Bonham's error that proved decisive. Tuesday brought a different custodian in Bazunu, signed in a double summer swoop alongside Yuki Ito, and the on-loan goalkeeper looked more assured throughout. He composed himself well and gave supporters far fewer anxious moments than his predecessor had in recent weeks. His failure to hold the winner was uncharacteristic and, given the context of his debut, forgivable. The expectation is that he will grow sharper with each outing.

Cardiff the first real six-pointer

The focus now shifts swiftly to a home fixture against Cardiff City, a side in similarly uncomfortable territory near the foot of the table. Where the last three opponents represented tests against sides with genuine promotion aspirations, this is precisely the kind of match that defines a relegation battle. Bolton cannot afford to turn in another performance that earns only appreciation rather than points.

The underlying signs are not entirely bleak. A team that takes the game to West Ham and Sheffield United in the same week is not one short of quality or confidence. The task for the management and players is to channel that spirit more ruthlessly: to hold a lead when they build one, to defend set pieces with greater concentration, and to recognise that bravery in possession must be matched by discipline when the opposition press.

Wanderers have now made their summer business, with Bazunu and Ito joining earlier arrivals including Scott Bair on loan from Auxerre, and Josh Nelson, who described the move as a straightforward decision. The squad looks deeper than it did in August. Whether it is yet organised enough to grind out wins against sides at the same end of the table is the question that only results will answer.

A single win against Cardiff on Saturday would not only lift Bolton out of the bottom three on goal difference; it would signal that the promise on show across these last few weeks has finally produced something tangible. At this stage of the season, that would count for a great deal.

Frequently asked

Why are Bolton in the relegation zone?
Bolton have lost four Championship matches in a row, conceding ten goals in their last three games, which has dropped them into the bottom three of the table.
When did Gavin Bazunu make his Bolton debut?
Bazunu made his Bolton debut in Tuesday's 3-2 Championship defeat at home to West Ham, replacing Jack Bonham in goal.
Who are Bolton playing next in the Championship?
Bolton's next Championship fixture is at home to Cardiff City, a fellow side near the foot of the table and a crucial six-pointer in the survival fight.