THE sentence could have been more severe than people realise had Wanderers not got themselves out of jail against Rotherham.

Kaiyne Woolery’s stoppage-time goal didn’t just provide a welcome moment of levity in a season of misery, it may also have changed the tactics at board level as the club enters into the most important fortnight in its recent history.

Even the most optimistic among us question what Neil Lennon’s side can take from Brighton and QPR, who provide opposition before the High Court hearing on February 22.

If by that date the club was cut significantly adrift of safety, the decision to go into administration would have been made that bit easier. The penny counters may yet decide to protect what they have got, and give themselves some options even if it condemns the club to relegation.

But the team is making that decision much harder. A deserved point against Wolves and a scrappy win against the Millers has got Wanderers off the bottom of the Championship for the first time in 14 games and given rise to some hope that survival might, just might, be within their grasp.

There is no question that Lennon rode his luck on Saturday. The decision to drop in-form Liam Trotter for Darren Pratley proved a bad one, and though the manager’s chronic lack of striking options is obvious to all, Emile Heskey did not look in the right shape to lead the line after several weeks on the sidelines with injury.

The former England striker hadn’t started since the embarrassing 4-0 defeat at Rotherham on Boxing Day but when he was finally withdrawn, it was to everyone’s surprise that Trotter, a midfielder, was his replacement.

That left the Whites playing without a recognised front man in a game they simply had to win. It was a puzzler, for sure, but thankfully only a brief one as Woolery and Stephen Dobbie were thrown on in the final 10 minutes to snatch the points.

Wanderers failed to build on Jay Spearing’s third-minute goal, the nerves creeping gradually into their play as the frustration built up in the stands.

For the first time this season the crowd were audibly unhappy during the game itself, and once Chris Burke had hauled the Millers level just before half time there was a genuine sense of worry. A point was useless, in the general scheme of things, especially at home.

Possession was wasted with alarming regularity – only Mark Davies and Liam Feeney completing more than 80 per cent of their passes over the course of 90 minutes. It was hard to watch.

But for once everyone went home happy. Wanderers waited until the 92nd minute to produce their best move of the game, Trotter sliding a pass through for Davies, whose shot was saved by Lee Camp but then stroked home by Woolery on the follow up.

Just a couple of years ago the pacy youngster was playing for Tamworth. At the risk of causing controversy, credit must go to Dougie Freedman for snatching him from Burnley’s grasp, making Woolery the last player for which Wanderers were able to pay a fee.

His rawness was exposed in his first senior start against Wolves on Tuesday night but with such electric pace, good workrate and a clear eye for goal, Woolery stands well apart from any of the other young players at the club right now.

If Woolery represents the future, then Spearing – the last major recruit at £1.5million from Liverpool – represents a past that Wanderers can only dream of right now.

The former skipper has struggled to get into Lennon’s good books but it now looks like his fortunes are changing.

Goals like the one he scored after only three minutes can only help. After Davies had hooked a deep cross back to the edge of the box, Spearing was there to blast home his first Bolton goal since October 2014.

Wellington Silva could have made two but his effort was disallowed for offside. After that the football dried up and Wanderers started to look edgier by the minute.

Rotherham hardly looked world beaters but got themselves back on level terms when Chris Burke tapped in a cross-shot from Danny Ward at the far post.

Things didn’t improve in the second half, with the Millers looking more likely to score a second. The Yorkshiremen had two penalty appeals turned down for a handball against Dean Moxey and a foul by Rob Holding on Joe Newell.

Wanderers will also point to a high challenge by Joe Mattock on Wellington that was only punished with a yellow card.

Perhaps prompted by the crowd’s incessant chants of “attack, attack, attack” Lennon let Woolery and Dobbie loose for the final 10 minutes, and got his reward.

The glum mood suddenly lifted, the fans were able to contemplate a win they hardly expected.

Lennon spent the last two minutes of stoppage time edging on to the pitch to scream instruction, pleading for referee Stuart Atwell to blow the final whistle.

When it arrived the tension was lifted. Having claimed his side deserved more than they got on several occasions this season, suddenly the manager was able to celebrate a win which barely felt deserved.

If Wanderers need to ‘win ugly’ more often this season, then so be it. This season has become exclusively about survival on and off the pitch – and the players need to understand that the two are inextricably linked.