Steven Schumacher handed potential Bolton Wanderers remedy if the worst happens with Cozier-Duberry | OneFootball

Thierry Gale's performance against Wigan showed Bolton aren't fully reliant on the Brighton loanee's brilliance

It was a remarkable Saturday afternoon for Bolton Wanderers supporters last time out, as they saw their side emerge victorious against local rivals Wigan Athletic on home turf for the first time in over a decade.

Not since an FA Cup tie in January 2015 had the Whites turned over the Latics at the Toughsheet Community Stadium, with Steven Schumacher's side firmly signalling their ambitions in League One after a steady, if not spectacular, start to the league campaign prior to the aforementioned grudge match.

Ever since undergoing a rebuild at the turn of the decade, Wanderers have been among the third tier's big-hitters, with Schumacher hoping to make the club a strong force in the division after last season's underwhelming eighth-place finish, ending the campaign some 10 points outside the play-off places.

Unsurprisingly, the one-time League One title-winner with Plymouth Argyle oversaw a major squad reset across his first pre-season and transfer window in charge of the Trotters, with plenty of new signings already making a strong impression as they climbed up to 10th with their third win of the season.

The standout name on that front is Brighton and Hove Albion loanee, Amario Cozier-Duberry, who has put an underwhelming stint at Championship side, Blackburn Rovers, well and truly behind him, emerging as Schumacher's strongest performer in the first month-and-a-half of the campaign.

However, as transfer discourse regarding his future continues to rumble on in the background, Thierry Gale's individual performance against Ryan Lowe's outfit showed that Bolton aren't overly reliant on the 20-year-old.

Thierry Gale put in a stunning performance for Bolton Wanderers in Wigan Athletic demolition

Gale is one of several additions to what is a new-look frontline in this part of Lancashire, joining the likes of the aforementioned Cozier-Duberry, Ibrahim Cissokho, John McAtee, Mason Burstow, Sam Dalby and Marcus Forss in that regard.

The Barbadian joined from Rapid Vienna, and showcased his attacking flair with a neat finish against Sheffield Wednesday in the EFL Cup, before really bringing his attributes to the table in the 4-1 win on Saturday after a mix of appearances either from the starting XI or the substitutes' bench.

Gale set the wheels in motion for Wanderers' dominant success as he burst into the box to power the ball past a helpless Sam Tickle following a low cross from the equally-impressive Josh Dacres-Cogley.

The 23-year-old then turned provider for Forss' first goal for the club after just 20 minutes, with the Middlesbrough loanee able to pick out the bottom corner with a side-footed finish from the edge of the box, and he could have had a second of the game himself if it wasn't for a smart intervention by Tickle as the game headed for half-time.

With just 34 touches of the ball, Gale had, by far, his best performance for his new employers since joining in July, providing a further key pass and a big chance on top of his two goal contributions before being replaced by Cissokho on 68 minutes.

Despite the two being wing counterparts rather than fighting it out for one spot in the side, Gale's performance further evidenced that Schumacher's dynamic side aren't a 'one-man team' when taking Cozier-Duberry's exceptional start to the season into account.

By his standards, the Brighton loanee was the quietest of Wanderers' attacking threats on Saturday, with Burstow also netting his fifth goal in nine games since joining on a temporary basis from Hull City.

In some ways, this could also prove beneficial to Bolton's chances of keeping hold of Cozier-Duberry by the time January comes around, with it being claimed that Sheffield United are monitoring his development, and could even strike a permanent deal with his parent club.

Schumacher has since spoken about the former Arsenal loanee's overall performance levels, whilst not giving anything away regarding his future post-January 1st.

“I can't say I'm fully surprised, but I'm delighted with how it's gone for him he's been a joy to work with," he said.

At present though, the Liverpudlian will be thrilled at how many of his players have chipped in with strong contributions across the park, and that must continue as they look to build momentum after a largely draw-heavy start to the season.