OPERATION recovery began at Wanderers yesterday as Phil Parkinson’s side prepared for another big road trip to Southend United.

Brave in FA Cup defeat at Crystal Palace on Tuesday night, the Whites spent yesterday patching up their war wounds at Lostock before heading out on a near 500-mile round trip again tomorrow morning.

Parkinson will be making sure the quick turnaround is as hassle-free as possible but says his players will not make any excuses heading down to Roots Hall.

“We need to do everything we can to get our league form back on track now,” said the Bolton boss, whose side have now gone four games in all competitions without a win.

“We’ll do everything we can in terms of sports science support, physios, make sure everyone gets all the treatment they need.

“We’ll get the travel right and I’m trying to get down there as early as possible on Friday with as little disruption as possible. Then it is down to them.

“We are ready for it and I am looking forward to it. I feel the lads have given us everything, not just in the cup game but when I watched Swindon back it was if our desire to go and win it actually cost us the game. The effort and determination is excellent.”

Parkinson is on the lookout for at least one new signing before the close of the transfer window but the news that midfielder Darren Pratley has to go back under the surgeon’s knife to remove scar tissue from a fracture sustained on the opening day of the season has put more pressure on to find new recruits.

Matters have been further complicated as Chesterfield declined to pick up an option to loan Conor Wilkinson for the second half of the season, meaning the young striker now takes up a precious place in a squad still carefully monitored under a transfer embargo by the Football League.

Parkinson is unlikely to add to his squad before the weekend – with signs now pointing to another exciting finale to the transfer window.

“We’ve got options but we’ve got Conor Wilkinson back, which adds another number to the group as well, but we are working actively to give the existing players a lift,” the manager confirmed.

“If we manage it, great, but after getting bad news with Darren Pratley I still think we’ve got players with plenty of running left in their legs this season.”