STEVEN Schumacher hopes calm heads will prevail at Wanderers as their play-off chase continues against Shrewsbury this weekend.

Expecting a full-blooded contest from Gareth Ainsworth’s improving Shrews, the Bolton boss has warned his side not to lose their cool as they search for three points which could take them into the top six.

Schumacher believes Saturday’s opponents are a more challenging prospect than they have been for most of the season and are starting to exhibit some of the battling qualities which Ainsworth once instilled at Wycombe.

And he has issued strict instructions to his players as they head to Shropshire not to allow anything to shake them from their gameplan.

“You understand what Gareth’s teams do and you can see they are developing into what he did really well at Wycombe,” he told The Bolton News. “They are a team who are really well-organised, who put you under pressure, they are aggressive with their press, especially at home, and the game rarely gets any rhythm.

“I think it is really important that you don’t get frustrated with it, you accept that it is what you’ll be faced with, and that the challenge is to how you deal with those situations.

“In all the games I have coached against Gaz’s teams I don’t think one of them has been a great spectacle. I’ve never enjoyed watching a single one of them back.

“But it doesn’t matter to me as long as you get the result you want, and to do that you need your players to understand what is coming, how we handle it, and how we can implement our plan to get a good result.”

Schumacher has been a relatively tranquil presence on the touchline, especially in comparison to his predecessor, Ian Evatt, although he admits that behind the scenes he can be a much more animated presence.

“It is a deliberate thing for me because I think if the coach is calm on the side then, in general, your team will be calm,” he said.

“There is enough going on all over the pitch, it’s chaos sometimes, then you have fourth officials and things that happen between players. It is all out of my control so I can’t let that affect me. I have to try and make sure my body language is positive, first and foremost, and calm, and I try my best with that.

“Obviously there are times in the dressing room beforehand or at the end of the games where I lose my temper, I show some emotion, I get frustrated, and also get excited as well at times, that's just the nature of it.

“But I think in general it is important that you lead by example with how you want your team to play.

“If I can rub off on that respect and be nice and calm, then hopefully the lads will be as well.”

Meanwhile, Wanderers have confirmed that the Saturday, March 15 game against Stockport County will kick-off at 12.30pm for TV coverage.