EXPECTATIONS had been checked by an unprecedented run of first team injuries at Wanderers; this was meant to be a cold winter of discontent.

Without MJ Williams, Amadou Bakayoko, Josh Sheehan, Gethin Jones and the like, the frailty of Ian Evatt’s squad was meant to be exposed, and when the January window was opened, a desperate Bolton would be first in the queue. Or at least, that is what the cynical narrative suggested.

Instead, and quite without warning, a new ensemble has risen to the challenge.

Players who had been written off as also rans are now showing they have more to offer and that makes those little moments of luxury sampled on a freezing cold day at Cheltenham taste all the sweeter.

George Thomason, the fresh-faced, still slightly awkward midfielder, has grasped responsibility in the middle of the pitch.

Liam Gordon, consigned to the loan queue by many at the start of the season, has excelled on the opposite flank, blowing the square peg in round hole theory out of the water completely.

And king of them all, Elias Kachunga has made good on his promise that his performances would improve once he got completely match fit. Now in his best scoring run for four years, the versatile German-born front man is deserving of star billing and showing regular glimpses of a player with a Premier League past.

Cheltenham, last season’s League Two champions, had injury problems of their own, but they too appear to have evolved since promotion. With impressive playmaker Danny Crowley pulling the strings at number 10 and Alfie May still looking sharp in attack, it is little surprise that they sit comfortably in mid-table at this stage.

Michael Duff sprung a tactical surprise by abandoning his regular back five, later admitting he simply didn’t have enough players. But the resulting tactical tweak left Bolton scrambling early on and allowed May to fire them into a 14th minute lead with an angled shot that squirmed under Joel Dixon’s body.

The Robins were fully deserving of the lead and at that stage it looked like being a long old afternoon in the freezing temperatures brought by Storm Arwen.

After a break in play for some treatment to a visiting player, Evatt switched shape to a back three, bringing an instant improvement which allowed Ricardo Santos, Will Aimson and Thomason, in particular, opportunity to bring the wing-backs Gordon and Declan John into play.

Xavier Amaechi, making his first start for the club, switched wings with Kachunga and also came alive midway through the half. Boasting a bag of tricks and an explosive burst of pace, the former Arsenal wide man started to force the visitors back and bring a note of optimism to what had been a very quiet home crowd.

There had been a standing ovation for the late, great Gary Speed in the sixth minute. But that aside, there was an unsettlingly low vibe about the UniBol until Amaechi, John and Kachunga started to turn on the style.

Wanderers drew level when Thomason worked the ball out to Eoin Doyle on the right, his fiercely driven cross was spilled by keeper Scott Flinders and turned into the net by Amaechi.

This was the former Arsenal youth product’s first start in English football, capped by his first goal. It won’t be his last.

Confidence started to grow and though Wanderers were largely confined to shooting from outside the penalty box the standard of their football remained impressive.

Answers on a postcard, then, how they went in at half time 2-1 down?

Much had to do with a beautiful slide rule pass from Ellis Chapman to find May, who had pulled into the space between Santos and Gordon. His finish was crisp, and Bolton jogged back down the tunnel feeling a slight sense of injustice that they were behind in the game.

Thankfully, they stepped up a gear when the game was restarted. Kachunga found an extra spring in his step and Wanderers began to seek out the predatory Doyle in the penalty box. This was, unfortunately, one of those days where he couldn’t get a telling touch.

Bolton persisted, and Ricardo Santos saw celebrations for his first-ever goal dashed by the linesman’s flag. Replays since suggested that he was onside before turning in Thomason’s deflected shot.

Still the one-way traffic continued. And Kachunga’s equalising goal was a thing of beauty indeed.

Worked from Dixon in goal through midfield, the ball was sent out to the left by Thomason for John, who played a pass with perfect timing to Kachunga on the overlap. With a quick step over and swerve of the hips, the striker checked past the defender on the edge of the box and whipped a shot across goal with deadly accuracy into the far corner of the net.

If there is a complaint, it is that Bolton did not go and score again.

The tactical battle continued as Duff changed his own team’s shape to compensate and Amaechi started to run out of steam.

Aimson made one superb goal-line clearance as Kyle Jospeh won a flicked header from a corner but Wanderers could also have won it at the bitter end when sub Alex Baptiste lashed over a half-volley from 12 yards.

Honours even, and perhaps fairly so, but nobody filing back out of the stadium at the final whistle would have had room to grumble.

How long such a compact group of players can continue at this pace is anyone’s guess, although a free weekend without FA Cup football is now looking like more of a help than a hindrance.

You would suspect that Dapo Afolayan will be back from suspension and revving his engine for Tuesday night’s Papa John’s Trophy game against Fleetwood, after which the Whites play at Highbury and then head to Accrington.

“Even the Bad Times are Good” as the Tremeloes once sang. And if this is as tough as things are going to get, then bring on the festive fixtures.