Against a Stoke side reduced to ten men following Maksym Talovierov’s early dismissal, Bolton had an opportunity to build on their encouraging form before the international break. Instead, they delivered a performance lacking the quality, conviction and composure required to compete consistently in the Championship.

The frustrating thing is that Bolton had opportunities to make the afternoon considerably more comfortable. Kyliane Dong was denied by Victor Johansson when through one-on-one, while Sam Dalby’s close-range header was another chance that really should have resulted in a goal.

At this level, those misses are punished, particularly against sides with the individual quality Stoke possess. Mark Robins’ team demonstrated that perfectly, taking their opportunities while Bolton continued to waste theirs.

The visitors’ opening goal, arriving just before half-time, was especially damaging. Steven Schumacher’s side should have been controlling possession and ensuring they entered the interval on level terms at the very least. Instead, they allowed Stoke to break, failed to prevent their opponent cutting inside and found themselves behind.

It was precisely the sort of defensive naivety that Championship opponents exploit, regardless of how many players they have on the pitch.

From there, Stoke managed the game impressively. Their organisation made them difficult to break down, while Bolton appeared increasingly short of ideas. There were crosses into the penalty area, plenty of possession and a considerable number of attempts, but little evidence of a coherent strategy to dismantle the visitors.

The repeated short-corner routines were particularly frustrating. Set pieces are supposed to provide opportunities to unsettle organised defences, yet Bolton seemed determined to persist with an approach that wasn’t producing anything worthwhile.

At the other end, their set-piece defending remains a significant concern. Ben Wilmot’s header for Stoke’s second goal came after Jaden Nelson conceded an unnecessary free kick, another example of poor decision-making being punished.

Bolton have now conceded six goals from set pieces this season, an alarming statistic considering the work undertaken to improve that aspect of their game during the previous campaign.

Schumacher was understandably disappointed afterwards, highlighting the difference in experience, quality and energy between the sides. His admission that Stoke demonstrated greater know-how was particularly telling.

There is an argument that facing ten men actually complicated Bolton’s attacking approach. They have often looked more threatening against teams prepared to attack them, creating space for their pacey forwards to exploit. Stoke’s numerical disadvantage encouraged them to defend deeper, removing precisely the areas Bolton enjoy attacking.

However, that cannot become an excuse. Successful Championship sides need different ways of winning matches, and Bolton simply didn’t possess the answers on Saturday.

There was at least one positive in Theo Bair’s late goal. The striker produced an excellent finish after coming off the bench, demonstrating the physical presence and composure that might provide Schumacher with another attacking option. Unfortunately, his intervention came far too late to alter the outcome.

Bolton now face a daunting trip to Wolves, followed by another demanding period of Championship football. The concern isn’t simply losing to Stoke, who have considerable quality throughout their squad, but the manner of the defeat and the opportunities squandered.

Nobody expected Bolton to cruise through their first Championship campaign following promotion. There will inevitably be afternoons when better-equipped opponents demonstrate the difference between the divisions. But losing against ten men, having created enough chances to win and then conceding avoidable goals, is considerably harder to accept.

Schumacher has repeatedly praised his players’ character, and their response at Molineux will provide another indication of how far this group has developed. For now, though, this was a painful reminder that competing at Championship level requires more than effort and encouraging passages of football.

Bolton had the advantage, the opportunities and the home support. Stoke had the quality and experience to make their moments count, and ultimately that was the difference.