IT’S probably best Wanderers get this sort of thing out of their system before the big day…

You have to be careful making sweeping judgements about a pre-season friendly, especially one in which Phil Parkinson was clearly trialling a new formation.

But as nearly 1,000 sun-kissed Bolton fans filed back out into the tight streets of Fleetwood to make their way home, few will have drawn many positives from Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Highbury.

Up to the trip to Fleetwood, Wanderers had been ticking along quite nicely. The summer had been played at a good tempo.

But on the North Fylde coast only one side played like they really meant it.

Fleetwood’s two goals came from two impressive new arrivals, Jordy Hiwula and Conor McAleny.

With a touch more ruthlessness in front of goal, there could have been more.

It is a shade under four months since Wanderers turned up at the very same stadium to underline their promotion credentials in League One.

That day the inclusion of new signing Jem Karacan and fit-again captain Darren Pratley proved the difference against one of the Whites’ real promotion rivals.

In an ideal world, Parkinson would have led his side back to show they had moved on and were ready for the Championship.

This 90 minutes raised some doubts on that front, and the players are going to have to work hard to convince the doubters in the two remaining pre-season games.

Many of the hundreds of Bolton fans that followed their team to Fleetwood were ticking the Cod Army’s bijou stadium off their list for the first time, having been unable to get tickets for the league clash.

But they were not treated to the same electric start, indeed they were put immediately on the back foot.

Hiwula missed a golden chance with only five minutes left on the clock, turning Lewie Coyle’s low cross wide from about six yards out.

Parkinson said after the game he had been trialling a front three but Will Buckley, Gary Madine and Sammy Ameobi were very much isolated men by the end of the first half.

Stephen Darby and Andy Taylor were, presumably, there to provide the width but both were pinned by Fleetwood’s overlapping full-backs, making it look more like a back five than the intended 3-4-3.

It left Josh Vela and Jem Karacan looking rather swamped, both struggling to get on the ball in any advanced positions.

Fleetwood went ahead on 19 minutes, on-loan Huddersfield Town striker Hiwula heading home a cross from Amari’i Bell.

Ex-Everton academy product Conor McAleny also looked on his game, arrowing a shot just wide of Mark Howard’s left-hand post a few moments later.

The home side kept the pressure on, and Dorian Dervite had to come up with a goal-saving challenge to prevent Hiwula scoring a second.

It took 32 minutes for Wanderers to register a shot, Vela doing the honours after a neat bit of football with Ameobi.

Sadly, those little exchanges we had seen all summer – including the 0-0 draw down the road at Fylde – were rare commodities.

Madine chased lost causes but spent much of the half looking up in despair at whomever had played a wayward pass, Ameobi willingly ran at defenders but wasted his final ball, and Buckley struggled to get into the game at all.

Whether Parkinson has the time remaining in the summer to lock down a 3-4-3 as a potential option in the Championship with two friendlies remaining is up for debate.

He may have taken some heart, however, from the fact the second half was marginally better.

Fleetwood played Sweet Caroline at the break in a gracious nod to their visitors’ success last season but it wouldn’t be long before the Captain Pugwash theme tune, which heralds every home goal, was jangling around the ground again.

The last time the unique celebratory music was played to welcome a second goal, Wanderers fans cheered – after all, their side were 4-2 up with a few minutes to go.

When McAleny made it 2-0 with a wonderful right-footed 20-yard strike, it seemed more suitable.

Oddly, the goal came at a stage when Bolton had been on top. Forcing a succession of corners, Mark Beevers had a shout for a penalty turned down by referee Scott Oldham.

McAleny’s finish ended any chance of a contest, even with Adam Le Fondre and Adam Armstrong now on the pitch.

The game slowed as a result of the scorching sunshine and a raft of Fleetwood substitutions.

Wanderers saved their best for last as Karacan’s tenacity won him the ball on the edge of the box and Le Fondre looped a shot just over the bar. Had we seen more of that sort of scrap, it would most likely have been a different story.

Stockport County lie in wait on Tuesday night, and perhaps a chance for some of the players who were not involved to force their way in.

But in all likelihood, next weekend’s game against Stoke City will be the last chance for Parkinson’s starting XI to fine tune before the big kick-off against Leeds United.

On this evidence there is plenty of work to do. Wanderers know the size of the task ahead of them this season in the Championship and that they have nowhere near the spending power of 90 per cent of the division.

They cannot lack in organisation or intensity and while this outing can be quickly consigned to the rubbish bin, time is ticking down before the serious stuff begins. A reality check, perhaps, but one which had better be heeded.

Team

Wanderers: Howard; Dervite (Derik 83), Wheater, Beevers; Darby, Karacan, Vela, Buckley (Armstrong 62), Taylor; Ameobi (Le Fondre 62), Madine (Pratley 78).

Not used: Alnwick, Little, C Taylor, Bruce, King.

Referee: Scott Oldham.