COLD grey Welsh skies mirrored exactly how we were all feeling as reality bit Wanderers harder than ever in an increasingly wretched campaign.

If the treacherous way staff and players had been treated by the club’s owner was not bad enough, the footballing gods were about to rub some salt into the wounds.

That defeat at the Liberty Stadium happened at the bitter end is just a small detail. Injury forced top-scorer Josh Magennis to leave the pitch on a stretcher, while red cards given to Craig Noone and David Wheater – the first of which was highly questionable - mean they will miss next weekend’s meeting with Millwall.

Wins for Reading and Rotherham make that game seem slightly less important now, especially when you factor in that prolonged, possibly faltering efforts to buy the club must make administration seem more logical to the people with money at stake.

Some long-standing supporters are describing this as the most difficult time they have ever witnessed. It is difficult to argue to the contrary. Yet many stayed on in the swirling rain to cheer the team from the pitch on Saturday having seen another performance with considerable guts but no gain.

Phil Parkinson brought Luca Connell and Sammy Ameobi back into the team and played a 4-4-2 formation that has been demanded on many an occasion this season. In truth, it didn’t work.

Swansea dominated possession and but for the belligerence of Remi Matthews, would have had the game won by half time.

Wide men Daniel James and Nathan Dyer kept Wanderers pinned back, while Oli McBurnie – who started his career under Parkinson’s watch at Bradford City – continually pulled the defence out of position.

Thankfully, Swansea’s pretty build-up was not matched by clinical finishing.

James, McBurnie and Connor Roberts all went close inside the first 20 minutes, where Wanderers seemed incapable of holding on to the ball in midfield.

Luca Connell’s snap volley, straight at Kristoffer Nordfelt, signalled a bit of attacking intent but Matthews was soon in action again, denying Dyer at his near post.

Despite some stunning recent form, the Bolton keeper had somehow found himself cast in the role of villain after conceding a freak goal at Leeds United last weekend. Matthews’ response was as good as they come.

Swansea earned a penalty when Dyer was tripped by Noone – earning him a yellow card – but again Matthews was up to the challenge, leaping athletically to his right to push away McBurnie well-struck effort.

Bolton fans under the scoreboard behind the goal celebrated the save as if their own side had scored – and a few moments later, they nearly did. Callum Connolly got into the box to prod Josh Magennis’s cross at goal, but Nordfelt was able to make the save.

Parkinson is already on an FA charge for what happened at Elland Road, and his feelings towards Championship officials this season will not have improved after Gavin Ward’s dubious display.

The Surrey ref dished out a second yellow card when Noone and McBurnie collided when challenging for the ball on halfway. Home fans rejoiced as the former Cardiff man disappeared back down the tunnel.

It then became a question of whether Bolton could hold out. And perversely they looked more comfortable with 10 men than 11, as the chances started to dry up for the home side.

Another dose of misfortune followed for Wanderers when Magennis was clattered by Roberts just outside the box. The stretcher was initially sent back when the Northern Irishman got to his feet but after three steps he collapsed in a heap again with what looks a worrying injury.

Other than a bad deflection hooked off the line by Pawel Olkowski it was relatively comfortable for Bolton, albeit they had totally abandoned any attacking football by this stage.

Luke Murphy replaced Connell with 20 minutes to go – and the midfielder’s first action was to play an awful pass, setting Swansea away on the counter, at which point Wheater made a rash trip on Wayne Routledge to earn himself a red card.

With nine men it was desperation stakes. Wanderers held out for 10 more minutes before McBurnie finally ended their resistance.

Sub Bersant Celina, who had been so close to signing for Bolton on loan from Manchester City two summers ago, then added a second deep into stoppage time. Had Wanderers held out, it would have been a famous point, regardless of possession or passes completed. They didn’t, and so the oh-so-familiar process of picking the result apart and apportioning blame began.

Of all the occasions that Parkinson has come in for criticism, this seemed one of the harshest. His position may well be untenable but doing the job in these circumstances is also quite impossible.

One person, who was nowhere to be seen at the Liberty Stadium, should carry a hefty slice of culpability.

Ken Anderson’s brinkmanship has created an atmosphere of resentment within the club – whether that was back home at the stadium, or aboard the team bus heading back to the North West.

His cold, calculating actions over the past few days are those of a man who does not have to look into people’s eyes on Monday morning and answer questions about how they make this month’s mortgage.

Players may not face the same financial hardships, or gain the same degree of sympathy, but Anderson and his right-hand-man Paul Aldridge owe them an explanation too. They are fighting but what exactly are they fighting for?