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Ian Evatt said there would be “no blame” apportioned after Wanderers’ defeat to Newport County.
While a 14-game unbeaten run came to an end, the Bolton boss insisted he was pleased with the football his side produced at Rodney Parade.
Good Friday’s draw at home to Colchester had left Evatt questioning his attacking players’ performances. But he insisted that while chances were missed at Newport, the level of performance was back to what he wanted.
“We spoke and I tore into the players yesterday and some of them may have been surprised because we’ve been 14 games unbeaten, but we just let our standards slip on Friday, especially second half, and they took it all onboard,” he said.
“We showed them where we need to improve and then first half today, the amount of crosses we put into the box, the numbers we got into the penalty area, the counter-press was back, the energy was back and we should have been out of sight, we really should.
“That’s what is disappointing and I am amazed that Kieran Lee missed the two chances he did. Sometimes that happens in football and there’s no blame - we’ll go again on Saturday.”
Evatt made two changes to the side that had drawn with Colchester, dropping Dapo Afolayan to the bench and resting Arthur Gnahoua entirely. Lloyd Isgrove and George Thomason were brought back into the starting line-up.
The game-plan looked to be on course in the first half despite Wanderers being unable to make the breakthrough – but Evatt admitted the missed opportunities took an edge off his side at the start of the second half.
“I think sometimes when you miss chance after chance after chance, it can dampen your spirits a little bit and I think we started the second half not as well,” he said.
“However, the opposition are obviously going to change and we’re going to have to rebuild momentum again and just as we’re about to build that head of steam up, the goal went in.
“The changes came on and I thought they did well. Marcus looked effective, Dapo had the energy again that he didn’t have on Friday.
“Dapo’s a young lad and he’s played a lot of games and sometimes you need to refresh and go again. Nine times out of 10 we win that game.”
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While a 14-game unbeaten run came to an end, the Bolton boss insisted he was pleased with the football his side produced at Rodney Parade.
Good Friday’s draw at home to Colchester had left Evatt questioning his attacking players’ performances. But he insisted that while chances were missed at Newport, the level of performance was back to what he wanted.
“We spoke and I tore into the players yesterday and some of them may have been surprised because we’ve been 14 games unbeaten, but we just let our standards slip on Friday, especially second half, and they took it all onboard,” he said.
“We showed them where we need to improve and then first half today, the amount of crosses we put into the box, the numbers we got into the penalty area, the counter-press was back, the energy was back and we should have been out of sight, we really should.
“That’s what is disappointing and I am amazed that Kieran Lee missed the two chances he did. Sometimes that happens in football and there’s no blame - we’ll go again on Saturday.”
Evatt made two changes to the side that had drawn with Colchester, dropping Dapo Afolayan to the bench and resting Arthur Gnahoua entirely. Lloyd Isgrove and George Thomason were brought back into the starting line-up.
The game-plan looked to be on course in the first half despite Wanderers being unable to make the breakthrough – but Evatt admitted the missed opportunities took an edge off his side at the start of the second half.
“I think sometimes when you miss chance after chance after chance, it can dampen your spirits a little bit and I think we started the second half not as well,” he said.
“However, the opposition are obviously going to change and we’re going to have to rebuild momentum again and just as we’re about to build that head of steam up, the goal went in.
“The changes came on and I thought they did well. Marcus looked effective, Dapo had the energy again that he didn’t have on Friday.
“Dapo’s a young lad and he’s played a lot of games and sometimes you need to refresh and go again. Nine times out of 10 we win that game.”
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