Home
Ian Evatt conceded that his side’s play-off chances were now remote – but insists his Wanderers should have got more in a tight game against Plymouth Argyle.
Macaulay Gillesphey’s goal at the end of the first half proved the difference between two well-matched sides at the UniBol.
But a result that left the Whites 10 points adrift of the top six with eight games to play has most likely ended their chances of extending the season, leaving Evatt feeling short-changed after the final whistle.
“Everyone knows we deserved better,” he said. “First and foremost they are a really good team. I like what they do and I think Steven (Schumacher) has got them well coached and organised. But for 15 minutes in the first half when they had control through possession, they weren’t really going anywhere, they didn’t create anything or cut through us. It wobbled us a little bit in possession but once we’d figured that out in the second half it was all us.
“The keeper made some great saves but, to be honest, he should not have the chance to save them. We are missing gilt-edged chances, we did on Saturday and Tuesday and it cost us, and it has done it again today.
“We lost the game on the back of a set play and they had a chance at the end when we were down to 10 but I am frustrated because I think we did a lot right against a really good team.”
Gillesphey scored his first league goal since 2016, bundling in a corner at the end of the first half under little pressure from the Bolton defence.
But while Wanderers’ defending will unquestionably come under scrutiny, Evatt felt his team’s wasteful finishing on the day had just as big an effect on the end result.
“I keep harping on to the players about the importance of set plays in big games,” he said.
“They can define a game that is tight. I don’t think this game was that tight, I think Plymouth rode their luck but they have probably earned that with how they performed this season.
“I am disappointed to concede in the way we did. It was poor marking at the back post.
“But I said to the players down there – I was a centre-back, a defender, and when you consistently see your players miss chance after chance it wobbles you, you become nervous, and you know one mistake can cost you.
“All the time defenders and goalkeepers get made accountable for mistakes because it results in a goal but it has always been a bugbear of mine that when centre forwards miss one they think ‘it’s OK, get the next one’ but it matters. It is important.
“Performance levels in the last two games have been great but we got one point and I am scratching my head as to why.
Asked if it was “mission impossible” to reach the top six, Evatt refused to admit defeat with 24 points still up for grabs.
But he will be looking for improvement at Crewe next weekend and a strong finish from his team, regardless of whether they can make the play-offs.
“If you split the two words up, it’s I’m possible, so that is how we have to look at it,” he said.
"People must remember we’re a newly promoted team, we’ve just bought seven players in January and we’ve hit the ground running.
"But this group and team is improving and evolving all of the time and I think if you ask Plymouth, there aren’t many teams that have done that to them and created that many opportunities and chances so things are looking up for us. We’re obviously going to be disappointed because we want it now.
"I’m the biggest one for that but sometimes it’s about just improving, keeping our heads down and working hard on some foundations for the future and I think what we’ve done this season is certainly build those.”
Source
