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Ian Evatt wants his Wanderers to keep full focus on Saturday’s game against Portsmouth regardless of what happens between Wycombe and Derby County tonight.
Though fans will be keeping their fingers crossed that Kieran Sadlier and Co can do them a favour by taking points off their opponents at Adams Park, Evatt and Bolton cannot allow the outcome to change their mindset for another season-defining game.
Pompey’s visit to the Toughsheet Stadium has stood for some time as the ultimate assessment of Wanderers’ promotion credentials and it is a test the Bolton boss is desperate to pass.
But whether Derby win, lose or draw in Buckinghamshire, he insists preparation for the weekend will not alter.
“All we can do is win our games and apply some pressure,” he told The Bolton News. “Derby have a manager who knows how to win at this stage of the season so it is going to be tough, but all we can do is take care of ourselves and our own business, win the remaining games and give ourselves a chance.
“We have got a chance but at this moment in time, it is only a chance. We are reliant on others, which is not a place we necessarily wanted to be. But four more wins takes us to 93 points and if you don’t get promoted with that, you are pretty unlucky.”
Wanderers hope to take maximum advantage of the fact their next three games are at home, with Evatt hoping to replicate the same firebrand atmosphere created when they hosted Reading.
After dropping a couple of points at Stevenage on Good Friday, the Whites rallied again to produce two results which kept the gap between them and second place to a single point, with a two-goal advantage to the Rams.
That gap may well be extended by the time Bolton next take to the pitch against Pompey and Evatt has once again called for the supporters to play their part in keeping his players fired up.
“I am proud of the players because we know it is kind of win or bust at the moment and there is huge pressure on that,” he said. “To rally ourselves after some adversity and go again, with a big win on Monday then another big win at Bristol Rovers, it is hugely important.
“All we can do is take care of our own business, get the Toughsheet rocking as best we can, get that intimidating atmosphere to fever pitch and make it raucous and really difficult for the opponents. That will help us do what we need to do.
“We need some help elsewhere, but we know that can happen in this game. This next week, the three home games, let’s really get behind these players and we will give it our all.”
Derby faced Wycombe at Pride Park in mid-December with the game finishing one apiece. Luke Leahy scored a stoppage-time penalty after Tom Barkhuizen had put the Rams ahead on 86 minutes.
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