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No manager in Bolton Wanderers’ history has claimed more wins from their first 150 games than Ian Evatt – but he freely admits the latest one was a head-scratcher.
Way off their free flowing best, the Whites did just enough to sneak three points against Port Vale, just three days after booking their place at Wembley in the Papa Johns Trophy.
The physical and emotional toll was clear to see in a subdued display but with a 74th victory in the bag, Evatt could afford himself a wry smile, for the boot has also been on the other foot.
Vale’s last league game at the UniBol in December 2020 produced a freakish 6-3 scoreline, and their former boss, John Askey, was struggling to substantiate his team’s margin of superiority.
“It is a refreshing change,” Evatt told The Bolton News. “And I guess it shows part of our evolution. People have in the past called us a little bit one dimensional, which whether that’s right or wrong you can form your own opinion, but I don’t think many people would have thought we could win that way. Now we have proved we can.
“To be honest, if you are going to compete at the top end of the division and get yourself a long way in cup competitions, you are going to have to win games that way. You are not going to play really well every week and you’ll have to find solutions and different ways to win.
“We won a game which was nothing like our way.
“Everyone can respect the fact we were a bit jaded. But credit to the players that they managed to find a way to win when not being anywhere near their best.
“I also have to credit the opposition for the way they played. I thought they were very good.”
With just two full days to prepare for the Port Vale game after their semi-final win at Accrington Stanley, every effort was made in the Bolton camp to keep up momentum.
But Evatt saw that his squad lacked zip on the training ground, and that also translated to a slow start on Saturday, with Ellis Harrison opening the scoring just eight minutes in.
“I was concerned because I could see it coming,” he said. “I could see it in the first 10 minutes but also yesterday because the players just looked so jaded and didn’t train at all like they can do.
“I had to give them a volley and that’s why I think myself and the staff are pretty tired as well because we had to drive that energy today, really had to put it on them, be intense, and pretty horrible, just to try and get a reaction to get us over the line.
“It’s huge credit to my staff – Peter Atherton, Sam Hird, Matt Gilks - to get that out of the players and to them for finding a way to win when they were probably 60 or 70 per cent of where they normally are.”
Wanderers got themselves level thanks to Victor Adeboyejo’s first goal for the club – and the January signing was unable to complete the game after pulling up injured 30 minutes before the end.
“It is just a bang on the knee,” Evatt added. “I don’t think it is a hamstring strain or pull. I don’t think it is anything too bad.
“I’m really pleased for him because it’s always important for a striker to get off the mark and hopefully now there are plenty more to come.”
Josh Sheehan put Bolton 2-1 up before the end of the first half and they were able to hold on to the points thanks to a few top drawer saves from keeper James Trafford.
“As a team we have somehow managed to find that was to win,” Evatt added. “I can’t really tell you how but we managed it.”
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