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Ian Evatt was pleased to see Wanderers secure three points despite never reaching their best against Charlton.
Will Aimson’s 83rd minute header secured a fourth straight home victory to consolidate a place in the top 10 ahead of a weekend trip to Oxford United.
Bolton led for much of a tight game through Dion Charles’s fourth goal in five but Charlton managed to drag themselves level with a header from sub Chuks Aneke.
Aimson’s first-ever Bolton goal sent fans home happy but Evatt conceded after the game that his side had been below par on the night.
“I think it was a really hard-fought game with very few chances,” he said. “I think both teams cancelled each other out.
“We weren’t quite at our best tonight. We looked a bit off the pace. A bit devoid of a bit of energy and intensity.
“We put a lot into Saturday, especially towards the end of that game and I think we looked in and out of possession, a bit jaded.
“The subs gave us some impetus when they came on and were able to change the game but it has been a long, long time since a) we have won a game with a set play and b) winning a game when we have played poorly.
“We know we can be loads better than that so the most positive thing tonight is we have won the game and to win five out of six and draw the other one is really tough and challenging.
“Two years ago, if you had said we would have done the double over Charlton Athletic I think everyone would have bit your hand off so that has to be a positive and we will move on now to a difficult game on Saturday.”
Wanderers were able to bring on Jon Dadi Bodvarsson, Kieran Sadlier and Amadou Bakayoko in the final stages to give their chances a boost after what had become a rather uneventful second half.
“We are a high energy team and that is when we are at our best,” Evatt said. “There you could see we looked a bit jaded and we were not at our best at all. I don’t think there was the same snap, but the subs came on and helped us get the win.”
Wanderers are now six unbeaten and with victory on Saturday could move themselves to within eight points of Oxford, who currently reside in fifth spot having lost 2-0 to Accrington.
The transformation has not shocked Evatt, who believes there is still plenty to come from his team.
“It hasn’t surprised me,” he added. “I don’t think I am a visionary or anything like that but I said we would struggle in October to January and that we would pick up when we had the players in the building. That has come to fruition.
“We still have lots of hard work to do and are nowhere near where I want us to be but at the moment we need to keep this good run of form going as long as we possibly can.”
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