Home
Ian Evatt is confident his players will react the right way to their midweek disappointment at Pompey.
Wanderers go to relegation-threatened Morecambe on Saturday knowing they can ill-afford to drop any points in the promotion chase after defeat at Fratton Park.
It is hoped that Victor Adeboyejo will be available after pulling out of the squad on Tuesday night with a minor hamstring strain – but Cameron Jerome should also be involved in some capacity after recovering from a back problem.
Evatt has not seen his side lose successive games since the start of November and though he admits eight matches in February proved a bridge to far for his squad, he hopes there will be an added desire within the squad to put things right.
Asked if Morecambe will be relying on damaged egos in the Bolton camp, Evatt told The Bolton News: “Maybe they will think that, but I trust and believe in my players and I think we will get a reaction on Saturday. Every time we have been posed a question we have found an answer and I don’t think it will be any different at Morecambe.
“Every game is going to be a big one for us now because of the position we have put ourselves in, Saturday is no different.”
Portsmouth was only the third game that Wanderers have lost after leading since May 2021.
Exeter City and Shrewsbury Town are only other sides to reverse the outcome in such a manner, and Evatt was convinced the errors which crept in were down to mental fatigue, rather than the wet and windy conditions which seemed to affect his players throughout.
“Second half the weather seemed to get worse and the wind was against us so we struggled to build out and play forwards but we’d already done the hard part and got ourselves in front early in the second half,” he said.
“We just didn’t look like ourselves and maybe that is the games catching up with us? It looked like that, anyway.
“We will keep going, keep fighting but that is a disappointing defeat considering the position we had put ourselves in.
“In terms of the slipping, I think it was just decision-making and when you are tired, mentally, it can be affected. That was certainly the case there.
“It has been a long old month and we have given it a right good go. I know we have lost a couple of games but there is no shame in losing to Wycombe or Portsmouth away, other teams are going to have runs of games that are going to be extremely difficult. I think we have got our most difficult month out of the way now.
“For us, it is about resetting, regrouping and staying calm now. All is not lost, it is a defeat and we will look at it and try to improve again.”
Source