Peterborough United manager Darren Ferguson warns danger lies ahead at League One’s bottom club Bolton Wanderers

Ferguson is shocked to see the Trotters at the bottom of the table even though they suffered a 12-point deduction before the season started.

Bolton are five points adrift of next-to-bottom Southend and 21 points from safety with just 10 matches to go.

“The points deduction was always going to make it hard for Bolton this season,” Ferguson said. “But I am surprised at how much they’ve struggled as they have a good manager and some very good players.

“The game against Bolton at our place ended up being very close.

“We probably should have been well clear at half-time, but Bolton finished the game strongly and we ended up winning 1-0.

“It’s a game we won’t be taking lightly. If we do we will get beaten. We have to improve our away form between now and the end of the season. We only have four games left, but we have to approach them all positively.

“You can see how confident we are about playing at home these days and we need to transfer that confidence into our away games.

“We can’t let ourselves get frustrated or impatient on Saturday because Bolton will not lie down for us.

“They will want to get something from a disappointing season and give their fans plenty to cheer about.

“If we play like we can we can get another good result and we need to if we are to keep in touch with second place.

“We have no room for any more slip-ups his season.”

Ferguson will have to rejig his defence again after Nathan Thompson was ruled out for the rest of the month. It’s believed forward Sammie Szmodics might also be absent with a hamstring problem, but the club have yet to confirm this injury.

Thompson, who has been in excellent form as one of three centre-backs, suffered a tear in his thigh in last Saturday’s win against Portsmouth.

He was replaced at half-time by Niall Mason who went to perform very well.

“It is a blow as Nathan has been in good form,” Ferguson said. “But we have other players who can play there.

“Niall Mason was very good in the second-half against Portsmouth and we have Rhys Bennett. Frankie Kent is not too far away from returning.

“We will need all of the squad at some stage. It’s important they are all ready to play.”

After the midweek results Posh dropped from fourth to sixth, but they are just three points behind second-placed Rotherham having played a game more.