On a cold midwinter day, we arrived at St James Park to discover Exeter City having their Brazil Takeover Day, celebrating the club being Brazil’s first ever opponents, 110 years ago.

Wishful thinking had us believing that we could perhaps play like Brazil to join in the fun.

Exeter is a beautiful and very welcoming city. We had travelled down on Friday and enjoyed an evening in the iconic Imperial, a Wetherspoon’s pub of excellent repute, incredibly cheap ales and friendly locals, who recommended the Bowling Green for meeting before the match.

There we partook of the pub’s excellent own Siren ale. A short walk through one of Exeter’s many ginnels and we were at the ground.

The question on all Bolton fans’ lips was what would Ian Evatt do with Aaron Morley? We got our answer as he was named to start in midfield. He looked leaner and fitter than when he had left us. He ran midfield as we dominated early doors.

We could and should have been two up by half-time as chances went begging or the offside flag and crossbar denied us. We continued on the front foot before a defensive mix up saw Exeter snatch the lead. We were stunned.

How could we be losing this match? Just as we were abandoning all hope, in true pantomime style we snatched the win with two very late goals and Aaron Morley emerged as the returning hero, as his free kick drifted past everybody into the net. I love happy endings!

For too long this season, we have been a Jekyll and Hyde team, with good displays followed by poor displays. Consistency has been a forlorn dream.

It has depended upon which team has turned up. But now it is the time of reckoning. We need to get things sorted and get the momentum going to get us back in the promotion race. Who knows what the transfer window will bring in terms of ins and outs? The renewed Aaron Morley should stay.

Just a final word on the sad loss of our great Wanderers fan and friend, Ruth Crawshaw. She was Bolton Wanderers through and through and my sincere condolences go to her family.

Well done to Tyrers for putting their tribute, ‘RIP Ruth, Bolton’s No 1’ on their coach displays. We have truly lost one of our own.