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Ian Evatt is confident Wanderers are coming into form at the right time to make a successful go of the play-offs.
Though the chances of automatic promotion now look remote following Derby County’s win at Cambridge United, Bolton’s 2-0 victory against Port Vale offered some crumbs of comfort to the manager that his players are still well-capable of achieving their target via an alternative route.
Wanderers go to Peterborough United on the final weekend of the season needing a win and Derby to lose at home to relegated Carlisle United, along with a four-goal swing.
Evatt admits his side could have done themselves a favour by scoring more against Vale, who were ultimately relegated by the result, and had to wait until the 77th minute for Aaron Collins to give his side a lead, doubled by Cameron Jerome's injury time header.
“I think that has always been the case for us as a team,” he told The Bolton News. “When we do rack up the big tallies and scores it is usually the early goal that sets us off.
“We had chances early in the first half where if we’d have got that goal early and broken their spirit a little then it could have been a bit easier for us.
“I was really pleased with the way we carried on doing the right things. We have got some talented players – Paris Maghoma is in great form at the moment and is a big threat, Aaron Collins is showing everyone why we signed him, and getting Dion and Rico back up to speed, Nathan having no issues, there are lots of positives.”
Wanderers will finish the season with League One’s best home record – a total of 50 points claimed at the Toughsheet Stadium, including 15 wins.
Whilst there is some disappointment that the target of a top-two finish was not met, Evatt remains upbeat about the weeks to come and the progress he feels his side has made this season.
“I think we can be confident at home and what we are starting to get is that consistency in performance again,” he said.
“We can all look at the results and form post-Christmas but for me there is context behind it, we lost the spine of the team at a crucial time and it did affect us. But I also think that in the last couple of months that performances have been very good and looked very similar.
“Some games we have scored five and others we have scored none. There has to be a balance and consistency there. I did feel some anxiety against Port Vale, where we hit the post, hit the bar, missed some big chances. We just needed to relax and focus on that last bit of detail whether it be pass, finish, cross, whatever, but the pleasing thing for me is how productive we have become against teams which are trying to frustrate, and that is a hard thing to do.
“The most important thing was to win. I keep harping on about data but it is the only thing I can relate to the game I’ve already seen with my eyes, I understand what it felt like at the time, but it helps me process what it all mean. That game could have been any score.
“I think we had 27 shots, so there are lots of things that are good, but fingers crossed we are saving some for what is ahead of us.”
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