Ian Evatt grateful to ‘football gods’ as Bolton net late goals to beat Burton

Relieved Ian Evatt was grateful to the “football gods” after super substitutes Amadou Bakayoko and Jon Dadi Bodvarsson earned Bolton a late 2-1 Sky Bet League One comeback win over Burton.

Bodvarsson struck in the eighth minute of stoppage time, leaving Albion manager Dino Maamria fuming at the amount added on.

Defender Sam Hughes’ first goal since last January put Burton in front after 72 minutes, before Bakayoko equalised three minutes from time.

Wanderers came from 2-0 down to beat Accrington 3-2 last Saturday, and manager Evatt said: “I have a huge amount of belief in the players.

“We don’t score late goals by chance. It is the way we probe and ask questions and teams find it really difficult to keep us out.

“I would almost say the football gods smiled on us. In my opinion, there was only one team trying to play the right way, trying to win the game.

“When we see Kieran (Lee) hit the post and Conor’s (Bradley) miss, it is easy for players to accept that it’s not your night. But they didn’t and stuck together, kept going and got the winner.

“Credit to Burton, they executed their game plan, whatever it may be and whether you like it or not. It was a game plan working for long periods.

“But the players again stuck together and I am delighted for those two who have taken a bit of stick of late and missed a few opportunities. But to come off the bench and impact it as they did reminded me of last season.”

Burton’s defeat was their first in eight meetings against the Trotters and ended a recent mini revival of three league games unbeaten.

Maamria said: “For 87 minutes we produced fantastic football, executed the game plan, limited them and scored a fantastic goal.

“We could easily have got a second on the counter. The biggest disappointment for me was the first goal because, when you come to a place like this, the momentum can easily shift.

“The goal from a long kick from the goalkeeper we should have dealt with it. The momentum shifts and the fourth official puts up seven minutes.

“I don’t know where he got seven minutes from and what hurts the most is they scored in the eighth minute of added time.

“You need strong officials and I don’t think we had that.”

Maamria was involved in heated exchanges with the Bolton bench at the final whistle. Asked what had happened he smiled and said: “When they come to our place, we will give them a good game.”