HOW far must the fortunes of Bolton Wanderers have fallen that they are held up to the rest of the Championship as a trophy kill in such a manner?

Taking nothing at all from a wonderful Norwich City performance, or a team who look like they are heading towards the Premier League, but to be crushed underfoot on home soil – as Bolton were so embarrassingly in the first half – was difficult to take.

The Canaries treated fans to some of the best football seen at the University of Bolton Stadium all season, though it could hardly be described as an enjoyable experience.

For all the sublime touches supplied by Teemu Pukki and Emi Buendia, the energy of Jamal Lewis or the midfield dominance of Tom Trybull, those of a Bolton persuasion just longed for someone in a yellow shirt to be stopped in their tracks by a challenge of intent.

As such, it was not necessarily the score-line which provided the chief source of concern, more the passive, static nature of the Wanderers defending which allowed Daniel Farke’s side to race into a 3-0 lead inside 34 minutes. Many of the supporters who voiced their disapproval at the sound of referee Andy Woolmer’s half-time whistle were gone long before he signalled the end of the game.

Though the official attendance gave a shade over 14,000 present, the empty seats are starting to tell their own tale. One seat in particular – that previously occupied by absent owner Ken Anderson – needs to be filled before there can be any hope of moving forward.

The chances of a change of ownership coming in time to have any positive impact on Wanderers’ failing campaign now looks slim in the extreme.

Last Tuesday’s win at Birmingham typified the sort of gutsy performance which will be necessary to complete another miraculous escape act. And in truth, a similar one might not have been enough to topple Norwich in this sort of swaggering mood. It would, however, have given supporters a little more to appreciate in 90 minutes which just left a terrible taste in the mouth.

Parkinson stuck with he 5-3-2 formation which had worked at St Andrew’s despite Marc Wilson failing a late fitness test. Within 25 minutes Norwich had exploited spaces in behind Pawel Olkowski several times and scored twice. A change back to the familiar 4-5-1 only occurred at half time with the introduction of Sammy Ameobi and Joe Williams, and by that time the game was gone.

Pairing the club’s only two senior strikers, Josh Magennis and Clayton Donaldson, had been an effective ploy in a direct game a few days earlier. This was an entirely different affair, and with Norwich content to keep possession, to pass and probe until they found the midfield gap, it quickly looked like the extra body could be better used elsewhere.

Pukki, a free transfer signed from Brondby last summer, took just eight minutes to open Wanderers up, spinning on to Marco Stiepermann’s pass and leaving Callum Connolly dead in his tracks to bury a shot past his former team-mate Remi Matthews.

The Finn then turned provider with a brilliant cut-back for Stiepermann to score the second before Kenny McClean played Buendia through for a third before half time.

Matthews had done his best to keep the score down – but the defending in front of him lacked any sort of conviction.

Was this the after-effects of the effort exerted against Birmingham? Or were Wanderers just frozen rabbits in headlights? Either way, the class gap between those in white and yellow was brutal.

Parkinson’s formation change at the break did bring an element of stability in the second half but not until the visitors had effectively declared on four.

Matthews continued his belligerent performance in goal, denying Pukki, Hernandez and then McClean from the spot after Mark Beevers had conceded the penalty.

Supressed memories started to flood back of the 5-0 drubbing handed to Owen Coyle’s Bolton by Manchester United in 2011, or worse still, the 6-0 at Burnden Park in 1996.

Thankfully, with a few more interventions from Matthews, the visitors decided to conserve their energy for the last 15 minutes and coast home, meaning the record books were never altered as it looked at one stage they might.

Wanderers go to Leeds United next weekend, where Parkinson hopes his side can still be in touch with the clubs above the relegation zone by the close of play – a practical statement but hardly an inspiring one.

Yes, upcoming games against Millwall, Sheffield Wednesday, Ipswich and Wigan may have a more direct effect on the battle to survive. But as so often in Parkinson’s time as Bolton manager, the real fight will be contested away from the pitch.

Serious financial questions are faced by the club between now and May 5 and the sooner they are answered, the sooner fans may feel more inclined to throw blind faith behind the team.