“They’ve let the fans down” – Steven Schumacher reacts after Bolton lose 4-0 to Swindon in the FA Cup Second Round.
Aaron Drinan netted a hat-trick, including a stunning 30-yard lob to help the League Two side stun League One opposition on Saturday afternoon.
Drinan opened with an 8th-minute penalty after a handball, with the hosts then doubling their lead in the 60th minute through Joe Snowdon.
Drinan headed home a third in the 76th minute, before completing his treble with an audacious 86th-minute chip.
Asked what was the most disappointing aspect, Steven Schumacher said, per Bolton News: “Just the performance. I thought it was rubbish from start to finish. We changed them round because of the conditions and the wind.
“I said, let’s try and get on the front foot, take advantage of the game and we gave them a 1-0 head start. It was a mad decision for handball for a penalty. From that moment, I thought we responded pretty well.
“We were unlucky not to get back into the game and had some good bits of play, but then just lacked quality with the final bits. Some of our crossing in the first half into the box was rubbish. We hit the target a couple of times with shots, we hit the bar, but we just didn’t find a way back into the game.
“In the second half, they took over. They were well better in the second half.”
On changing the squad around: “I make changes all the time so I’m not bothered. I said to you on Tuesday night, I’m not bothered about the team selection.
“Today was a really strong team, no-one can deny that. We’ve got Eoin Toal, our captain, Josh Sheehan, who’s a full international. I’ve got enough on the pitch that I’m not bothered about the changes.
“It’s about picking the team that goes and performs. I don’t think we performed well enough today. We didn’t deserve anything from the game, so that’s kind of what it’s down to.
“Whatever the team will be (at Mansfield) on Tuesday night, I don’t think anybody can complain if I make changes again.”
On what was his heaviest defeat of his reign at Bolton: “I’ve been a coach now for a good few years and we’ve had days like this before,” he said. “We had a really similar result in the FA Cup run in the year that we won the league and it’s important that you respond back from it and use it as a lesson.
“Everything’s been rosy the last few weeks. We’ve been playing brilliantly well, had loads of good results, loads of good performance. The lads have had so much praise.
“Today’s a wake-up call. We’ve been beat by a team that were better than us, that wanted it more. As I say, we have to respond and I think the lads are a good group and I think that they will.
“On Tuesday we need to try and get a better result because today was rubbish.
“We are in a tough schedule, that’s why we have to rotate the squad and make changes. Four games in 11 days, you have to make sure that you’re at it and you do all the basics properly because we want to play football.
“Tuesday night we played unbelievable football. Today, in the first half, we played some good football. In the second half, we didn’t.
“But you’ve got to find a way to win in these moments. Today, we weren’t good enough but Tuesday night we have to respond. We have to get it right because, as you say, they were the best team today.
“I won’t overreact. I won’t go overboard on it and start saying he’s not ready, he’s not good enough because the other players have shown that.
“That group of players have shown this season that they can perform at a really high level.”
On the travelling support: “They did let the fans down because we’ve come here, as I say, it happens you have bad days but that second half performance in particular, there was no real energy, there was no real fight, there was no real idea of how we were going to break Swindon down.”
Swindon Ian Holloway said, per Swindon Advertiser: “I think that today you saw the difference when we press.
“I think that the score does flatter us, if I am being brutally honest, they had a couple of chances they could have taken, but it was the way we went about it to get around them and stop them playing.
“Normally, you might get eight of your 11 playing well, and then two of the subs might make an impact, but today everybody played well. Absolutely everybody.
“Have I seen a better performance from one of my teams in the last 14 or 15 years? I don’t think so.
“Everything that we tried to do, the lads did so well and they deserved what happened to them.
“But they need to understand why. What made us so good today? It was not just the individual skill, but the collective organisation and the willingness to go and work and never leave anyone on their own.
“We got a lot right today, so I am absolutely delighted for them and delighted for them crowd.
“It was a bit of a pinch-me game. 4-0. I didn’t expect that, but the last goal summed it up; it was insane how he got in there.
“We had so many good things today, but it was a terrible start as [Paul] Glatzel limped out of training and then [Ryan] Tafazolli said he thought the broke a couple of ribs a few weeks ago.
“Then two lads we tried to bring back [from loan], the FA told us we did not do it in time, so it was a terrible start, but I will take it for how well the rest of them did and the excitement for the rest of them who were here watching.
“This was what I was hoping to bring here one day, where they were all in it together.
“We needed everybody. Fil Mabete, that was his best game, Joel McGregor was absolutely outstanding, [Jamie] Knight-Lebel as well. [James] Ball came in and looked perfect.”
Here’s what fans on social media had to say after Steven Schumacher reacts to seeing Bolton lose 4-0 at Swindon…
@darrylmorris: Don’t mind being out, but that is embarrassing. He’s set us up terribly again. For every masterclass, there is a game of baffling decisions. Stop playing Morley & Sheehan, & certainly not with Randall. Christie over Cogley in games that matter. Taylor is not a LB. Stop it. #bwfc
@Biggusdecimus: Talk about not wanting to progress in the FA cup. Shouldv’e been 8-0. Im glad we are out of it, but fuck me how pathetic. Fair play to swindon, well done.👏🏻👏🏻
@TXG1814: Honestly the worst thing out of that is we cannot seem to win against small teams away from home. We can forget the Championship if we can’t sort it out right now. Absolutely pathetic display. Feel sorry for fans that travelled #BWFC
@WanderasLuke: Thoughts are with the travelling fans. I’m not too fussed as we never seem to take this competition seriously, but they cannot be performing like that in the league. Maybe our strength in depth isn’t as strong as we thought.
@IanMass05261670: I’m sorry but I’ve seen a few people say glad we’re going out and it’s only the cup. It doesn’t matter. That performance matters. Losing is one thing but putting on a performance like that is plain unprofessional. I, for one, wanted a third round tie
@IanLever7: Schumacher playing Championship Manager with no respect to the fans making that journey or Swindon who taught them/him a lesson. Our squad is not as good or strong as people make out… constant tinkering and changing his team is going against is.
@antrearden: Absolute Scouse fraud Schumacher. 28 points from 17 league games who you kidding no better Evatt and today’s “cup team” ? Your squad players ? Absolute shambles too many players to name not good enough to wear the white shirt .. fkoff
@Spencaja: Embarrassing. That has seriously dampened my hopes for top 2 in the league and even promotion. Get rid of some of those spineless shithouses in Jan and buy some players who know how to win.
@OldManWinter999: It’s ridiculous how unserious we take the FA Cup. I’d much rather be knocked out in the groups of the tinpot EFL Trophy and have a good FA Cup run. It’s ridiculously long since we’ve got to the 3rd round and beyond. #bwfc
@BwfcFans: Sheehan Morley and Randall as a trio is so so weak. Terrible choice. #bwfc
