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Ian Evatt couldn’t help but be pleased with Wanderers’ resounding start to pre-season.
The Whites rattled in nine unanswered goals against North West Counties League Longridge Town on their return from a training camp in Portugal.
Evatt was able to work closely with his players over the course of a week in Lagos, managing nearly four times as many hours of contact time as he did the previous season.
And he says the smart start his team made to the summer schedule was proof that their graft in the Algarve was worth it.
“I think it was just important that we saw the fundamentals we had been working on,” he said after the game.
“Portugal was a fantastic week. The board backed us with the expense but it is pivotal with what we are trying to do.
“There are some tweaks, tactically, in and out of possession, and we wanted to see that, along with energy and attitude.
“The players trained this afternoon, and really hard. Seeing that level of fitness shows the level of work.
“I discussed with you before the game about the volume of the work compared to this time last season and the players are able to cope with it, they are more robust.
“I am really pleased.”
Dion Charles scored a second-half hat-trick, with further goals from Kyle Dempsey, Elias Kachunga, Amadou Bakayoko, George Johnston, Jon Dadi Bodvarsson and Dapo Afolayan in what proved a thoroughly one-sided affair.
Jack Iredale and Conor Bradley made their first appearance in a Bolton shirt – both performing well – and James Trafford also played in goal during the second half, having returned from Manchester City on loan this summer.
Wanderers move on to Chorley on Saturday looking sharp but Evatt is looking for nothing more than progression at this early stage of the campaign.
“There were no moans last week but the messaging was they will see and feel the benefits of this hard work when the football starts,” he said.
“That is really the first sign of the sharpness and fitness, all that work and content that was put into them last week.
“It is just the start of what we are trying to build. There is no-one getting carried away. We have seen some positive bits tonight but also some stuff we have to improve and work on.
“I am pleased with the performance, pleased with the energy and attitude, that’s the most important thing.”
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