JASON Lowe feels Wanderers now have the necessary components to meet Ken Anderson’s mid-table challenge.

The Bolton chairman laid down the gauntlet to Phil Parkinson and his squad last week by saying the club should be aiming at the top half of the table after the start they had made.

And though that would represent huge progression on last season, Lowe believes the team should be aiming higher.

“It’s a strong dressing room – we have flair players who can create, and lads who can put the ball in the net, so the formula is there,” he told The Bolton News.

“You have to look back to last year and, first of all, get to the stage where you are safe. That has to be the first target. But then you need to push yourself. It’s a box-ticking exercise.

“Our first goal is to stay up but we can’t have that mentality that it’s all we are. I think we’re better than that. I certainly think we can challenge the good teams in this division.”

Wanderers get back into action on Saturday at Rotherham United who, following promotion, have already taken points off the likes of Stoke, Derby and Wigan.

“They will have a game plan, I am sure, they work very hard,” Lowe said. “The one thing that springs to my mind is that they were 2-0 up against Stoke before they had a man sent off at their place, so they can turn it on. We need to be on our mettle. If we produce what we can, we have the capacity to get three points.”

Wanderers could use a spark after defeat to Blackburn, and just one win in their last eight.

But Lowe insists no major correction has been needed over the international break.

“I thought we performed well against Blackburn but didn’t get the result,” he said. “The reverse will happen over the course of the season, places we won’t play well and come out with a 1-0 win.

“You can’t start thinking the world is against you.

“Performance-wise and effort-wise the lads are giving it all. We need to find some consistency because the teams that do tend to be the ones playing at the top end of the table, grinding out those points when they don’t necessarily deserve one.

“The foundations are there for us to do well this year, to push on and test ourselves against the best.”