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Ian Evatt praised debutants Aaron Morley and James Trafford as Wanderers recorded a much-needed win against Ipswich Town.
New signing Morley and Manchester City loanee Trafford made their first starts in a tight game, won with second-half goals by Kieran Lee and Dapo Afolayan.
“I’m delighted for both of them,” said Evatt, who made four changes to his side and switched to a back five for the Tractor Boys’ visit. “Two young lads and when you take Kieran Lee out of that team it is a really young team.
“James in 19 and to step into a high pressure, good quality game, I thought he was excellent. Everything he did was really solid.
“Aaron has quality. He sees pictures and passes, the way he scans, and he is only going to get better. We haven’t had long to work on that shape and we are only going to get better, especially in possession, but I thought the way we attacked in number and defended with numbers was excellent.”
Wanderers had lost their last four, with frustrations starting to show around the fanbase as the side slipped to 18th in the table, just three points off the bottom four.
But the win against Ipswich – which now puts a five-point cushion between the Whites and 21st placed Morecambe – was well deserved, in Evatt’s opinion.
“I think we have suffered for a long time now,” he said. “We all wanted and needed that result today.
“I thought it was a really good game of football. They are a good team and well-coached but our change in shape really helped us.
“I asked them before the game, whatever we do today do it as a unit. And we defended and attacked as a unit.
“These high-quality games are going to ebb and flow. The pleasing thing for me today was that we looked compact and solid when they had their moments and then eventually we took then chances when we got them. That was the difference.”
Wanderers dropped top scorer Dapo Afolayan to the bench for the first time in a league game this season – but the former West Ham winger came on with 20 minutes to go to score his first league goal since October.
“Dapo is an excellent player but there are always big calls,” Evatt said of the decision.
“What we’re trying to do here is get a competitive squad, some quality and depth.
“Dapo has to accept that – it isn’t the Dapo Afolayan show, it is about Bolton, the badge on the front that we are playing for. He accepts that and I am pleased for him that he came on, made a difference and got a goal.”
Evatt said work to sign two more players was “progressing” although nothing is expected to happen until the end of next week.
For now, the Bolton boss is intent on enjoying a result which affirmed his belief that the team would improve in January as a result of new signings, players returning from injury and improved fitness after a wave of Covid hit the camp in December.
“I’d like to think I know what I am doing – although some of the Bolton fans might not think so in the last couple of months. Each to their own, I even got it in the neck driving in this morning!” he laughed.
“It is a journey for the whole club. This doesn’t change things and make us a good team again, and to be honest I don’t think we were a bad team, we have just suffered in both boxes.
“Today we got the goals that got us a win but there is a long way to go. There will be players who will come in, go out, and we’ll remember the ones like Eoin (Doyle) and Antoni (Sarcevic) who did a great job for us.
“This is the next stage of our development. We’re bringing in players with good technique and ability, energy, who are wiling to learn.
“This has been an extended sticky patch, I understand that, but we’re confident what we are doing is right. That is a first step on a new journey, hopefully.”
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