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Wanderers fully deserve their reputation as the EFL’s late goal kings, says Ian Evatt.
The Whites have scored 23 times in the last 15 minutes of games this season – more than any other club in the land.
MJ Williams provided the latest twist, grabbing a 90th minute equaliser against Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.
Wanderers managed 19 goals in the last 15 minutes in League Two last season, a total bettered only by Oldham Athletic (21).
Evatt says his players should be proud of the way they have played to the end.
“I think the trend started last year,” he said. “I have seen stats where I think we’re the highest scorers in the last 15 minutes of games in English football, and I don’t think it's a coincidence. I think it’s down to attitude.
“I think it’s down to confidence of scoring, but also we ask teams questions and we wear teams out.
“I think that was not necessarily the case today (against Sheffield Wednesday) but it has been in previous games where teams can’t defend or press the ball for 90 minutes and when they switch off and make mistakes, because they’re fatigued. You can make it pay.”
With those stats in mind, Evatt wants his side to be even more ruthless in the latter stages of games.
The Bolton boss does not want his players to shy away from playing direct football if the circumstances call for it – and used the build-up to Saturday’s equaliser as a prime example.
“We went long, won the corner and that is what you have to do sometimes in that stage of the game,” he said.
“They have to sense that and I’ve just said that to them in there don’t be ashamed by playing forwards in the last 10 minutes of games when we’re pushing for a goal and we’ve got all the impetus.
“Yes, we want to be possession based, we want to be aesthetically pleasing, but the last 10 minutes of games if you feel like our centre forwards are dominating and we’re asking them questions and they look a bit nervous, go and do it, go and play forwards and run forwards and see what we can create.”
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