Wanderers once again found their shooting boots when they needed them most, Dalby drilling home a winner in the 93rd minute after Jordi Osei-Tutu’s shot had been saved by the keeper.
Dalby had given Bolton the lead after a forgettable first half but when Jack Armer headed an equaliser, it seemed that they were destined for an unsatisfactory draw.
But for the second time in four days they dug deep to find a winner beyond the 90th minute, keeping up the chase for the top two.
Wanderers made four changes to the side that beat Leyton Orient, bringing Chris Forino, Aaron Morley and Cyrus Christie back into the side for Jordi Osei-Tutu, Thierry Gale, Xav Simons and the injured Amario Cozier-Duberry. Schumacher also stuck with the 3-4-2-1 shape that finished Saturday’s game with new signing Corey Blackett-Taylor not registered in time to feature.
Mason Burstow’s late penalty winner was not enough to spare the Whites some scathing reviews at the weekend, so the need for a convincing start against Burton was obvious.
Sadly, despite manufacturing two very decent goalscoring chances, Schumacher’s side were again slow out of the blocks, failing to score in the first 45 minutes for the ninth consecutive match.
Sam Dalby was put through on goal after just a couple of minutes by a pin-point kick from keeper Jack Bonham but his laboured chase rather summed up what was in store for those who had ventured out on a bitterly cold Tuesday night at the Toughsheet.
The mood could have been improved had Kyle Dempsey taken a presentable chance 27 minutes in, fed by Dalby and Conway, he raced in on Bradley Collins’ goal but had his shot blocked by the keeper’s legs.
Five minutes later, George Johnston had an even better chance to break the deadlock as Christie’s defected cross dropped to him at the far post. After mis-cueing his first effort the ball bounced back to him to sky his second over the crossbar and into a practically empty South Stand.
Burton did not just sit back and defend; indeed, Gary Bowyer’s Brewers played some incisive stuff on the break, exhibiting the sort of pace and urgency that Bolton quite honestly lacked.
The dangerous Kain Adon had a couple of shot slip just wide of Bonham’s goal and hit the side-netting with another. And as the players walked back down the tunnel to disinterested grumbles at half time, Bowyer will surely have been the happier of the two managers.
If we have learned anything at Wanderers this season, it is that they have tended to play their most effective football after the interval. And so it proved again.
Conway and Dalby combined in the first minute to flash the ball across the six yard box, with McAtee unable to get a touch.
Moments later it was Dalby’s clever flick which set McAtee into the penalty area and after his shot had bounced off the keeper and the base of the post, Dalby was able to bundle it home from point blank range.
Suddenly, there was an outbreak of football. Erhahon and McAtee exchanged passes on the left, the latter slipping the ball in between Terence Vancooten’s legs to give Dempsey another shot at goal – but once again the keeper managed to get a block, and Toby Sibbick was back on the line to make a clearance.
Burton continued in the same vein with McKiernan driving a low shot through a mass of defenders on the edge of the box only for the ball to bounce off the base of the post and out to safety.
One goal never felt enough, especially with Adom causing problems each time he ran at the Bolton defence. And sure enough with 20 minutes left, the winger won a corner from which Jack Armer climbed to head home the equaliser via the inside of an unguarded post.
Schumacher responded with a triple substitution, introducing Burstow, Ibrahim Cissoko and Thierry Gale from the bench.
Gale took up a position on the right side of attack, but it was Cissoko on the left who made the immediate impact, drawing two fouls on the edge of the box to give Morley, then fellow sub Xav Simons, a free kick in a dangerous area. Neither led to the big chance that Wanderers so desperately needed but as the game started to draw to its conclusion, a crowd that had been relatively quiet all night began to find its voice.
Indeed, there was an optimistic roar as the fourth official signalled seven minutes of added time and perhaps another chance to find a late winner.
The two sides took it in turns to surrender possession, leaving the crowd teetering between excitement and despair.
With one touch a cheer, the next a jeer. It was starting to feel like the World of Sport Wrestling was back.
But then, the moment the home fans had waited to see. Cissoko had switched to the right side and after Gale had sent a cross in from the left, he collected the ball and found Osei-Tutu, who drove a shot at goal that was blocked by the keeper, then buried on the rebound by Dalby for his second of the game.
Another stoppage time winner, another three points without a stellar display, but on a night when Lincoln and Cardiff both picked up victories, the result WAS the only thing that mattered.