The Latics boss was at a loss to explain some of the defensive decisions made at the Toughsheet and in particular in the lead up to Marcus Forss’s second goal just after half time.

Wigan have not yet won an away game this season and have only won once on their travels since Lowe’s appointment in March.

And the Liverpudlian reckoned his side only had themselves to blame for the manner of defeat – which was their first on Bolton soil since 2015.

“I think all the goals are definitely avoidable, but they were clinical in everything they did,” he said. “So, yeah, it’s disappointing, we didn’t get nowhere near them. 

“I don’t think we got ripped open as many times, you look at the scoreline and think 4-1, but I think it was more desire from them to go and get the goals, probably from our silly mistakes, and fair play they’ve done that. 

“I’ll have to debrief it back tomorrow, watch it all, but just off the top of my head, seeing the goals in my head now, they’re definitely avoidable.”

Wanderers got off to a flying start, Thierry Gale giving Steven Schumacher’s side the lead after only 15 minutes. Forss and Mason Burstow made it 3-0 at the break, forcing Lowe to make a triple substitution at the break, which made for a more even second half.

He said: “The crowd was up, it’s a local derby, it’s at home for them. Of course, when we concede and they score, then it gives them a little bit of a lift.

“We had to make changes at half-time and change shape to nullify that. They were causing us problems, we were dropped into a back five, which we didn’t want. Our wing-backs weren’t at the races today like they have been, so you have to give credit where credit’s due. It’s one of those games where they’ve come out on top, and congratulations to them.

“But in terms of us, we think we can do better.”

“We’re a good team, we’ve got a good set of lads, but we’re not a very good team yet,” he added.

“We’re just a good team, and the quicker we become a very good team, that’s when you come here and don’t get beat 4-1. And you maybe draw the game, or you win the game, so it’s a learning curve for our lads, and everything they’re doing, they’re giving us everything, but (there is) a lack of quality. 

“One of the lads said in there that they need to adapt sometimes in games, and problem-solve, so that’s another learning curve that we might need to work on.” 

Mistakes from ex-Bolton defender Will Aimson and Morgan Fox led to Bolton taking a 4-0 lead just after half time, with Forss converting his second goal of the day.

Lowe lamented: “I thought I was watching Sunday League at one point, so you all see the same thing, don’t you? And I think they all see the same thing, I don’t know what Schuey said, but they didn’t open us up, they didn’t rip us open, they didn’t cause us problems. 

“The first few minutes, Sam (Tickle) had to come out and defend, we were a little bit high probably, and they’ve got good players that run behind, but other than that, they were Christmas presents to them, them goals.”