All roads led to the Weston Homes Stadium as we prepared to take on Peterborough United in a match that could mean everything or nothing, or something in between.

There was a smidgeon of hope that if Derby County lost to already-relegated Carlisle United and we could stuff the Posh by at least three goals, we could snatch the automatic-promotion place. Optimism is the basic characteristic of any football fan. Other than that, events elsewhere would determine both of our play-off opponents.

Both managers named their strongest team available with Paris Maghoma losing out through illness. The Bolton fans were up for it from the start and so were the Wanderers as we raced into a two-goal lead within the first eight minutes. The impossible was on as we waited for news from Derby. Unfortunately, the bad news came early as Derby had scored after only five minutes. But we pressed on, trying to get one over on potentially our play-off final opponents.

After the interval, Peterborough upped their game, trying to make a point against their potential play-off final opponents. It worked as they gained the momentum and roared back into a 3-2 lead. Even the referee couldn’t believe the assistant failed to raise his flag for offside for their second goal. News of a second goal at Derby came through and Ian Evatt took the chance to rest some players, without weakening the team as we took the game to Peterborough and new fan’s favourite, Cameron Jerome, stabbed in the equaliser.

The Wanderers fans were brilliant, our support only intensifying as results went against us. ‘Wembley, Wembley, we’re the famous Bolton Wanderers and we’re off to Wembley’ rang out and the ovation the team got after the final whistle must have left them in no doubt about our support.

Both teams succeeded in establishing their play-off credentials. Two titanic battles against Barnsley lie ahead of us to get to the final against either Oxford or Peterborough. We always do things the hard way, that’s the Wanderers for you, but we can still do this together.