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Josh Sheehan was always the man scheduled to take Wanderers’ penalties against Crewe, by manager’s orders.
Though Amadou Bakayoko initially picked up the ball after winning a spot kick five minutes into the second half – also discussing the matter with Dapo Afolayan - it was Welshman Sheehan who got the vote from the side-lines.
Evatt revealed after the game that he had instructed Sheehan to take the responsibility in Eoin Doyle’s absence, and had no doubt he would put his team into the lead.
“He had no choice, I told him to!” said the Bolton boss, when asked why Sheehan had bravely taken the ball from Bakayoko.
“Josh Sheehan is a penalty taker so when Eoin’s not playing, it’s important that we have someone that takes regular penalties and Baka gave it up really well, and took it really well.
“It is just the way it works that he managed to get a goal a few minutes later, so I’m really pleased for him.”
Bakayoko had not scored in the league since the 3-3 draw with MK Dons in August but finished off a quality move involving MJ Williams, Dapo Afolayan and Elias Kachunga to give his team a 2-0 cushion.
“First half we created some really good moments from really good play,” Evatt said. “We just didn’t take our chances, which is like us to be honest!
“I was delighted with that and delighted that Baka was in the right place to get the goal. The win tonight was the most important thing because it really sets up the weekend for Gethin Jones and his family.
“That for me is the most important thing. We had to win the game for ourselves and the league position and obviously stop the rot, but also for Gethin and his family because there will be a better feelgood factor this Sunday and it speaks volumes for this football club of how everybody has come together to show support for charity and Gethin’s family. He deserves it.”
Wanderers had not kept a league clean sheet since September when they were held to a goalless draw by Burton Albion and despite making a change at centre-half, where Will Aimson replaced Alex Baptiste, Evatt felt his side looked comfortable.
“I thought Will was outstanding, I thought he really took his chance well,” he said. “He was aggressive in his defending, he is mobile, but you have to defend as a team and I thought we did that better tonight.
“Our attitude to defending was better, we were pressing like we mean it. We had come away from that a little bit.
“When you are a possession team, it’s difficult to keep switching modes from cool, calmness in possession and then having that red and fire to go and press the ball. It’s a challenging thing to do but I thought we did that better today.”
Evatt was also able to bring summer signing Xav Amaechi in for his first taste of action since breaking his foot in pre-season.
It is hoped the on-loan Hamburg winger will extend his deal in January to the end of the season but the Wanderers boss is looking forward to seeing how he fares over the next six weeks now he has recovered from injury.
“I’m absolutely delighted to have him back,” he said. “We’ve just now got to keep him in one piece and be patient with him.
“He was one of our marquee signings in the summer. I know he’s only a loan player but it was a really difficult deal to do with Hamburg.
“Xav had to sacrifice some of his own salary to come because obviously he had made a fantastic move there on a very good salary.
“He sacrificed some of his own money to come here, so for an injury in pre-season to keep him out until November is a tough one to take, but his attitude to rehabilitation has been first class and hopefully now he’ll get his rewards and we’ll get the rewards of having him back.”
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