PERHAPS watches need to be reset at Lostock this week because Wanderers have been off the pace since the clocks went back.

Defeat at Peterborough capped off a pretty poor fortnight – and that includes the so-so performance in victory over Grimsby Town in the FA Cup.

Quite why Phil Parkinson’s side has gone off the boil it is hard to fathom. But at London Road they were second best against a dynamic and expansive young Posh side who simply looked more alive in front of the TV cameras.

Lazy Sunday afternoons are all well and good for those watching from home in their slippers, not so for those donning boots on a football pitch.

It has been a while since the Sky Sports schedulers have affected a game quite so inconveniently for the Whites’ travelling support.

Wanderers had no such excuse – their team base a stone’s throw from the stadium could not have been more conveniently situated, Parkinson’s preparation was just as meticulous as ever.

The lack of urgency shown in midfield at times was baffling and Posh were well worth the 27th minute lead given to them by Michael Smith with a rasping 25-yard volley.

There was some improvement after the break, Josh Vela doing his level best to stir up the troops.

Zach Clough had the pick of Wanderers’ chances to level, getting his feet in a muddle after a great cross from Chris Taylor.

Peterborough could also point to moments where they could have improved their lead, however, and while Bolton’s substitutions and consequent change to a 4-4-2 made little impact, the home side seemed more threatening after making changes of their own.

It has been famine or feast for Parkinson’s side so far this season – four consecutive wins followed by eight games without victory, and now a seven-game winning streak soured slightly by two poor games at Cheltenham and Peterborough.

It is far too early to start predicting any serious issues but that is not to say the manager does not have issues to solve. With several players now on their way back from injury, keeping players happy and, more crucially, in form will be a tougher task.

Though able to give some of his players some game time in cup clashes with Grimsby and Cheltenham those he took out of the action seem to have lost some of the momentum they had in the impressive win over Port Vale.

Throw Jay Spearing and Darren Pratley into the mix and there are going to be more disappointed faces like Max Clayton and Keshi Anderson, both of whom did not make the matchday squad.

The inclusion of Tom Thorpe ahead of Derik Osede also caused a stir on social media which rumbled on long after the former Manchester United man was withdrawn in the second half.

Wanderers were lackadaisical from the off. Even before Mark Howard was forced off with a thumb injury things were clearly not right.

His replacement, ex-Posh keeper Ben Alnwick, was introduced to loud jeers from the home fans who have not forgiven his deadline-day decision to quit London Road for the North West.

Alnwick had been in good nick against Cheltenham in the Checkatrade Trophy in midweek but his kicking proved rusty here – and gifted a couple of opportunities to Shaquile Coulthirst.

Chris Forrester and Marcus Maddison also peppered the goal from distance, willed on by a Whites midfield that just could not hold on to the ball.

It was hardly thrilling stuff. Sky Sports were obviously so enthralled with the first-half action they decided to roll some adverts.

Things improved after the break. Vela got on the ball more, and a few half-decent chances were created. Clough missed the best but sub Chris Taylor also spooned a shot over the bar from close range.

Alnwick’s miss-kick gifted a chance to impressive Posh midfielder Leonardo Da Silva Lopes but thankfully the teenager’s attempted lob ended on the roof of the net.

Paul Taylor and Lee Angol came on for the home side, who switched to a more direct style in the last 25 minutes.

Both had chances to add a second – Taylor guilty of trying to walk the ball into the net after getting in behind Mark Beevers.

Parkinson produced a curt reaction when asked if the last couple of results had been a sign of something more sinister – perhaps a poor run matching that in September.

“Defeats happen, no-one likes them, but we will be looking to respond when we go out against Millwall,” he said. “We started slowly, were lacklustre in the first half but loads better in the second half. It’s hard to put a finger on why.

“We need to play for 90 minutes as we have been doing recently.

“I don’t think words like ‘stopping the rot’ or ‘crisis point’ really apply to a team which has won their last five – but, of course, you want to try and get a result as quickly as possible.

“We looked lacklustre. If you get two or three off the pace you can handle it but we were all off it.

“We’ll watch the game back again. We’ll ask the players if there is anything about the preparation that they felt contributed.

“But we have been starting very well. We need to get back to that.”