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Ian Evatt hopes Jon Dadi Bodvarsson’s goal against Wimbledon can trigger a trend at Wanderers.
No side in League One had scored fewer goals from set pieces up until a fortnight ago – but the Icelander’s header in Saturday’s comprehensive 4-0 win put the Whites above Crewe and one behind Shrewsbury in the latest table.
Evatt reckons hard work on the training ground is now finally paying dividends and that the players now have more belief attacking corners and free kicks.
“I think the message is sinking in,” he said. “I certainly think the importance of them certainly is.
“We want to start scoring more set pieces because it can really help us, especially in tight games as we’re not going to win every game three or four nil.
“There will be scenarios where it is going to be tight, 0-0 or 1-1, and a set piece can get us over the line so the more importance we can give it, and the more work we can do on them then we can only improve.”
Wanderers rattled four goals past Wimbledon on Saturday, with Evatt’s four front men all getting on the scoresheet.
The Bolton boss feels his attacking players are starting to enjoy themselves having seen the standards driven higher by January’s recruitment.
“You have to enjoy what you do, otherwise why are we in this game?” he said. “We have to want to enjoy our football and I think our performances and the way we play the game is enjoyable.
“I have said many times I’m a football snob, but I also want to win and when you combine the two, it is really enjoyable, and I think our players enjoy the way we play.
“I thought we were back to our usual selves in the way we dictated the speed of the game, and our possession and control was there from minute one, really.
“It was just about getting the goal and I’m delighted that a set piece broke the duck for us because it’s important in these games.
“The first goal is always vitally important, if they get the first goal they can hang in, they can camp and it makes it really challenging but a set play again came to fruition, a good header from Jon and after that, I thought we really took over.”
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