Steven Schumacher challenged his Bolton team not to make an impressive 3-1 win over Skybet League One leaders Birmingham a one-off performance.
Wanderers were second best for most of the opening period and deservedly trailed to Emil Hansson’s 23rd-minute goal.
But after John McAtee fired the home side level six minutes before half-time, Bolton dominated the rest of the game.
Captain George Thomason put the Trotters in front after 49 minutes before Aaron Collins’ 16th goal of the season inflicted the league leaders’ first defeat in 19 games.
“In the second half, that’s probably the best we have played,” said Schumacher who has lost only one league game in six since replacing Ian Evatt.
”It had a bit of everything, especially to go up against the best team in the league and get that type of performance and result.
“But I don’t want that to be our best night of the season. We want to have better ones still to come.
“Getting to that level is difficult, to play at that intensity every game.
“But it’s no good playing like we did tonight if we don’t back it up on Saturday (at Burton).
“We must use this and get better from it. There are still areas of the game we think we can improve on.
“I have watched a lot of Birmingham and saw them live when I was out of work. I was so impressed by them and expected the game to be like that.
“So, there weren’t many surprises. But we can’t get carried away by it. We have got to keep building on it.”
Birmingham’s loss was their first in the league since going down to Shrewsbury last November.
They had not conceded a goal in five third-tier games until McAtee smashed in Wanderers’ equaliser.
“Some of it was uncharacteristic from our point of view,” said manager Chris Davies. “There was potentially a bit of fatigue and tired bodies.
“You could see there were a few not quite themselves. Up until this point they have coped well but some looked jaded.
“However, we started the game very well and scored a good goal. We were disappointed to concede just before half-time because I thought we were far the better team.
“The goal gave them a real lift and belief they didn’t have before. They started the second half better than us.
“We were soft with the goal and it was an uncharacteristically poor third goal from our point of view.
“That gave us a mountain to climb and we didn’t look like climbing that mountain.
“Aside from the pain of defeat there is an acknowledgement from me what the guys have done for the last 18 games to go unbeaten. And they are hurting in there (the dressing room).”
