Bolton Wanderers manager Ian Evatt has called on his team to get the job done ahead of their League One play-off first leg against Barnsley.
Evatt’s side missed out on automatic promotion to Derby County following a draw with fellow play-off side Peterborough United on the final day of the season. The 1-0 defeat away to the Rams in the middle of March would prove pivotal to how both sides campaigns finished. Paul Warne’s side went on to win 2-0 against already relegated Carlisle United to take second place and promotion to the Championship behind league champions Portsmouth.
Wanderers will face something of an unknown when they travel to South Yorkshire as this is only Martin Devaney’s second game in temporary charge of the Tykes following the dismissal of Neill Collins. He was relieved of his duties after a run of just two wins in his final 12 games.
Only Posh have scored more goals than Bolton this season with 89, compared to the Lancashire sides 86 and the two could potentially meet in the final. Evatt’s side and Peterborough will have to get a result across the two legs against Oxford United and Barnsley respectively first.
Speaking to Bolton News, Evatt reflected on his sides season:
“It is something that has become a narrative, and you could probably give me occasions where we have underperformed, but I could throw back occasions where we have performed,”
“I think it has been mixed. There has been inconsistencies and we have lost out on moments sometimes.
“The Derby game, for instance, on the big stage, I think we performed so well and didn’t get the result, which ultimately cost us what we were going for.
“If you look at other games – Wembley last year, Derby at home, Blackpool at home, Portsmouth we didn’t get the win but performed incredibly.
“There are pros and cons but that’s football. What is gone is gone, we have to perform now. The time is now.
“This group is slightly different to last season’s group and the game looks slightly different too. It is down to us to go and execute but I am sure they will feel the same way.”
The return leg at the Toughsheet Community Stadium is next Tuesday, with a 7pm kick-off.
Writer’s View
This one is hard to call. Barnsley are a bit of an unknown entity following the sacking of Collins. It could galvanise the players for a side that haven’t won since the beginning of April. Bolton have been in-form, however, and haven’t lost since that Derby defeat, so they will be the more confident of the two sides.
For the first leg at least, a draw could be the most likely result but playing at home in the second leg will surely see the Trotters take the game to their opponents. Surely a win for Wanderers is to be expected over the course of the two games.
