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Wanderers will be treating tonight’s Papa Johns Trophy clash with Barrow just as seriously as they would if it were being played in League One, Ian Evatt has insisted.
The Bolton boss will make some changes to the team that clinched a dramatic late win at Fleetwood on Saturday, including a start for Northern Irish defender Eoin Toal.
But he has underlined the importance of the competition, which has now entered the knockout phase, and the possible financial advantages it may offer in the coming rounds.
Evatt has experience of Wembley as a player at Blackpool and Chesterfield and is still smarting from last season’s exit at League Two Hartlepool United, where a late error led to Wanderers crashing out at the last 16 stage.
And although the next league game is not until December 2, at home to Bristol Rovers, he has promised there will be no let up when he welcomes his former club Barrow to the University of Bolton Stadium.
“We try to approach every game in the right way,” he told The Bolton News. “It is not in me to sacrifice and to give someone something.
“Looking at my FA Cup record you wouldn’t believe that! But I do want to win every game we compete in.
“I want to win every training session, I want to win possession, I want to win points. It is just what I am, and I think the players are starting to take a bit of that from me.”
Evatt – whose side has taken 10 points from the last available 15 in the league – believes his players are starting to develop the right mentality to be able to juggle progression in the cup alongside a fight for a top six spot.
“You can see the determination on Saturday for instance, to go on and win the game from there,” he said. “Any chance to play at Wembley, a player should try to grab it with both hands.
“I was very fortunate to have good times and bad times at Wembley Stadium, but they are things that you can never take away. For families, children, parents – their dream is to see their relations play and win at Wembley. It gives us a platform to try and do that.”
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