Burnden Aces

Post-Match: Evatt on Bolton's Win at Rochdale

• November 02, 2021 | By Chris Mann
• Short URL: http://b-ac.es/3118b

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• Ian Evatt, Papa John's Trophy, Rochdale
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• See Also

• Rochdale 0-3 Bolton Wanderers

Ian Evatt hopes Bolton's victory at Rochdale will serve as a precursor for a positive run of form, after previously going five games without a win.

First-half goals from Oladapo Afolayan, Declan John and Eoin Doyle (pen) put Wanderers on course for a comfortable evening at the Crown Oil Arena, a venue on which Wanderers hadn't won in 36 years prior to Tuesday.

Speaking after the game, which saw the Trotters book their place in the knockout stages of the Papa John's Trophy, Evatt admitted confidence was already returning to his players after a difficult month in league competition.

"I thought our attitude and application was first class," Evatt told OfficialBWFC on YouTube.

"We've hurt the last month. We've all been smarting and we need to come out fighting and show what we can really do. Tonight, I thought we were excellent from minute one.

"Rochdale are a very good team and we showed them respect. We know they move the ball well and if we weren't at it then we could get hurt.

"We need to get used to winning football matches again, getting some belief and confidence back. Dapo's goal really settled everybody down and after that I thought we were outstanding.

"We've had a really bad month but it's only been a month and it doesn't define our season. What we do from here on in will define our season and hopefully this is the start of a new run.

"We've got some winnable fixtures coming up. Four of the next five are at home so if we can start winning our home games and building a run again, hopefully we'll fly back up that table."

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