Bolton assistant manager Steve Walford knows his club's wretched form will give non-league Eastleigh belief they can produce an FA Cup upset at the Macron Stadium.
The Spitfires were just three minutes away from progressing to the fourth round earlier this month only for Wanderers skipper Darren Pratley to salvage a replay with a late goal on a muddy surface in Hampshire.
Eastleigh, the only side outside of the Football League still in the competition, will now travel to Bolton on Tuesday night hoping to continue their cup journey against a club whose off-field troubles remain.
Wanderers avoided HM Revenue and Customs' attempt to have them liquidated on Monday following an unpaid tax bill of £2.2million, and learned at the High Court that they had been granted a five-week extension to come up with a rescue plan.
While that provided some cheer, on the pitch, Walford appreciates Eastleigh will think they can heap more misery on a team propping up the second tier with just two wins all term.
"Because we're bottom of the Championship I would imagine that any team coming to us would say 'we've got a chance of beating them'," Walford said.
"We've got to prove them wrong, go out and play our game and get on a winning run and start tomorrow."
Bolton's descent into a financial abyss has been accelerated of late after long-time owner Eddie Davies elected to turn the tap off on his financial backing.
The players were not paid on time in November and only received their December wages after the PFA stepped in and the club also sold offices at the ground.
With three or four parties understood to be in active discussions about taking the club off Davies' hands, there is plenty of uncertainty about the future, yet Walford does not believe that has impacted Neil Lennon's players.
"Problems off the field don't affect us in preparing for the game," he said.
"We know it's going on but we try and leave it and forget all about it and get on with preparing the team to play. What happens, will happen.
"It's difficult but you've just got to get on with your job. We've just got to get on with our jobs and forget about everything else."
Lennon's squad is depleted for Eastleigh's visit too as first-choice goalkeeper Ben Amos is suspended and defender David Wheater picked up a hamstring injury in the loss to Nottingham Forest.
Zach Clough may miss out with a hip problem while Shola Ameobi could play in his final game before his short-term contract, which will not be renewed, expires.
Source: PA-WIRE
