WANDERERS won’t be hiding behind a punishing schedule as they look to get their season back on track at Ipswich, says Phil Parkinson.

Faced with a quick turnaround after Wednesday night’s defeat at Middlesbrough, the squad head for the opposite end of the country this morning looking to arrest a run of four games without victory.

It is a journey Parkinson has already done once this week – he surveyed the Tractor Boys in person with chief scout Tim Breacker during their 1-1 draw against Brentford on Tuesday – but despite having slightly less time to prepare, the Bolton boss feels his team can handle another long road trip.

“We’re in this sport for the challenges it throws upon us,” he told The Bolton News. “Big clubs in the Champions League are competing all around Europe midweek, flying back and then will be playing in the big high-profile Premier League games. They cope just fine.

“And we have got players who can come back in and freshen us up. I thought the energy levels were good at Middlesbrough, even though it was a disappointment to lose the game, and we’ll go again.”

Parkinson wanted to sample the atmosphere at Portman Road in person on Tuesday night and so made a dart down the east coast to watch Paul Hurst’s side earn a credible point.

The new Ipswich boss is still looking for his first win since taking over the reins from Mick McCarthy, however, and Parkinson hopes his side can use the growing frustration to their advantage.

“We felt it was the right thing to do to go and take a look,” he told The Bolton News. “We felt we needed to get down there and get a feel for what the mood was like.

“We need to do everything we possibly can to prepare for the game but physically the players have also go to be up for it. They have to be in the right frame of mind.

“It’s a harsh league and Mick did a great job down at Ipswich over the years. He was a difficult man to replace, that’s for sure.

“Ipswich are down the bottom but we have to make sure they are still there on Saturday night.”

Wanderers will be without defender Jack Hobbs, who received several stitches in a head wound sustained in an aerial collision with Jordan Hugill at Boro.