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Wanderers haven’t conceded a goal for four games – but Ian Evatt is interested to know what their reaction will be once they do.
James Trafford became the first Bolton keeper to register four successive clean sheets from debut against Cambridge United on Tuesday night and will look to extend his own record this weekend at Morecambe.
Coincidentally, the man who previously held the record, Simon Farnworth, is on the backroom staff at the Mazuma Stadium.
Before their January pick-up Wanderers had struggled when going a goal behind – but are also one of a handful of teams who have yet to lose a game in which they have led.
Evatt is intrigued to know whether the players he brought in during the winter window have had a positive difference on the mentality of the group.
“When you look at our record on scoring first, there is a big difference,” he said.
“It will come down to mindset and I would like to think that with what we have got in the building now, the characters, we have enough to deal with those situations and have the right personality to come back.
“It is inevitable that we will concede one at some stage and when it does we will have to react in the correct manner and have the belief we can hurt any team.
“I was really pleased with the first half performance on Tuesday, it almost got a smile. There were lots of really good things there, our speed and technical play was excellent.”
After putting six past Sunderland there was some concern within the Bolton camp that the players could struggle to pick themselves up again on Tuesday night, in front of a smaller crowd.
Wanderers’ fans produced one of the best midweek atmospheres of recent times and Evatt believes both his players and those who follow them up and down the land will have to be at their best again at the Mazuma Stadium.
“The best teams go again, the best players go again. If we have aspirations of being the best then we have to get over those moments,” he said.
“Tuesday was always a challenge but going back to the connection with the fans, they never allowed us to slack. It was such a positive atmosphere and the way we started the game, the fans fed off it. Cambridge will have found that difficult.
“We need our away fans to do that now at Morecambe. We need to show up and make sure we are doing the same things as we have been doing this month.
“I understand expectations among the fans but, believe me, nobody has higher expectations than I do. The players know it too.
“We are expected to win games. It is the job and industry we are in. We have won four on the trot but it is nowhere near enough – we need more and more to make up for that ropey few months. That might give us a chance.”
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