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Ian Evatt could hardly believe his side emerged empty-handed from their first game of 2021.
George Francomb’s second-half strike gave Crawley victory on their first-ever visit to Wanderers and condemned the Whites to a third consecutive home defeat in the fourth tier of English football for the first time in their history.
Wanderers rained 24 shots on the Crawley goal – most of which arrived after Francomb’s well-worked goal on the hour, leaving the Bolton boss at a loss for words.
Reiss Greenidge was then shown a second yellow card in stoppage time as Bolton failed to turn their pressure into a share of the points.
“I think we had enough chances to win six or seven games and if we’d scored six or seven it would not have flattered us,” he complained.
“I’m not just talking about goal-scoring half-chances, they were clear-cut opportunities and unfortunately for us it was just one of those days and no matter what we did, we couldn’t score.
“There is lots of debris to sift through, their goal was disappointing, and it’s also disappointing that it took them to score for them to play like that.
“I changed shape in the end and longer term I think that’s the way I see it, I was just trying to get us through to this 10-day window where I can get bodies in, some training in.
“But the last 20-25 minutes, regardless of the result, I think we were outstanding. It was like a knife through butter but we just couldn’t score.
“George (Thomason) had a few chances with his right foot, Nathan missed from a yard, Doyler hits the bar and missed a couple he would normally score.
“It’s just a very frustrating afternoon.”
Wanderers have 10 days before they are next due to play in League Two, away at Exeter City, during which time Evatt is confident he will have boosted his squad.
Asked if this could be a defining spell in the season, he added: “I think we knew that all along.
“The good thing for us is that the league is so tight and condensed that we still have a huge opportunity.
“We have played 21 games and lost nine now, I think, and we’d normally be out of it. That’s testament to how crazy this league is and how crazy football is in general with the pandemic.
“We have to get the window right and make this squad more balanced.”
Evatt decided not to bring any of his substitutes on to change the game but did shift to a back four in the last 20 minutes.
“I was looking at what changes I could make and I have three centre-backs on the bench,” explained the Wanderers boss. “We are just light in numbers up front and in the top end of the pitch.
“We didn’t need to change because the shape was there naturally with the personnel we had on the pitch and we were on top. We were dominating the game before they scored, we dominated after they scored.
“I am disappointed we haven’t won comfortably.”
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George Francomb’s second-half strike gave Crawley victory on their first-ever visit to Wanderers and condemned the Whites to a third consecutive home defeat in the fourth tier of English football for the first time in their history.
Wanderers rained 24 shots on the Crawley goal – most of which arrived after Francomb’s well-worked goal on the hour, leaving the Bolton boss at a loss for words.
Reiss Greenidge was then shown a second yellow card in stoppage time as Bolton failed to turn their pressure into a share of the points.
“I think we had enough chances to win six or seven games and if we’d scored six or seven it would not have flattered us,” he complained.
“I’m not just talking about goal-scoring half-chances, they were clear-cut opportunities and unfortunately for us it was just one of those days and no matter what we did, we couldn’t score.
“There is lots of debris to sift through, their goal was disappointing, and it’s also disappointing that it took them to score for them to play like that.
“I changed shape in the end and longer term I think that’s the way I see it, I was just trying to get us through to this 10-day window where I can get bodies in, some training in.
“But the last 20-25 minutes, regardless of the result, I think we were outstanding. It was like a knife through butter but we just couldn’t score.
“George (Thomason) had a few chances with his right foot, Nathan missed from a yard, Doyler hits the bar and missed a couple he would normally score.
“It’s just a very frustrating afternoon.”
Wanderers have 10 days before they are next due to play in League Two, away at Exeter City, during which time Evatt is confident he will have boosted his squad.
Asked if this could be a defining spell in the season, he added: “I think we knew that all along.
“The good thing for us is that the league is so tight and condensed that we still have a huge opportunity.
“We have played 21 games and lost nine now, I think, and we’d normally be out of it. That’s testament to how crazy this league is and how crazy football is in general with the pandemic.
“We have to get the window right and make this squad more balanced.”
Evatt decided not to bring any of his substitutes on to change the game but did shift to a back four in the last 20 minutes.
“I was looking at what changes I could make and I have three centre-backs on the bench,” explained the Wanderers boss. “We are just light in numbers up front and in the top end of the pitch.
“We didn’t need to change because the shape was there naturally with the personnel we had on the pitch and we were on top. We were dominating the game before they scored, we dominated after they scored.
“I am disappointed we haven’t won comfortably.”
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