Bolton ‘rocked’ by Ricardo Santos hospitalisation, says manager Ian Evatt

Posted Saturday, December 03, 2022 by PA

Bolton manager Ian Evatt admits the club have been rocked by captain Ricardo Santos’ hospitalisation with breathing difficulties.

The 27-year-old defender was absent as Wanderers snatched an added-time 1-1 draw at home to Bristol Rovers due to complications arising from a virus.

“Rico was hospitalised yesterday with a really bad viral infection and some pneumonia as well. He has had a really difficult time with breathing,” Evatt said post-match.

“It happened so quickly that has rocked us all and worried us.

“He is our captain and our leader and we miss him immensely, but we will rally around him, rally around his wonderful family and do everything we can to make sure he makes a speedy recovery.”

Substitute Dion Charles scored in the fourth minute of injury time after Gas had led from Josh Coburn’s second-minute strike.

No team has scored more goals in the last 15 minutes of matches in the four divisions since the start of last season than comeback kings Wanderers.

“We deserved to win the game,” added Evatt. “There was so much right about that performance.

“I have never known a spell of games where we are so dominant and we are creating so many chances which are not going in.

“They had two shots (one on target which was the goal) and we had 19 and five on target.

“We had big moments and big chances, but we are not taking them and showing composure in the final third.”

Rovers have lost only once in 10 league games but manager Joey Barton, booked in the first half for dissent, described the late leveller as “a kick in the proverbials”.

“But credit to Bolton they had us under loads of pressure in the second half,” he said.

“While we defended well, I still think we needed a bit more quality in transition. If you sit back too deep and they keep putting balls in the box, they will eventually land with a chance.

“There will be a couple of players disappointed in their part of it (the goal). It is a sucker punch but it is part of our learning.

“Coming here after the FA Cup defeat (to non-league Boreham Wood) we were probably not as confident as we could have been.

“And I don’t think we played particularly well. We had little spells but I am disappointed with the level of performance.

“We defended superbly at times, but we can play so much more football. We were nowhere near the level we can be and if you don’t operate at the highest level you can’t expect to win the game.

“It was a fantastic goal and I thought young Josh was outstanding,” said Barton of the Middlesbrough loanee. “We were off to a flyer, but it probably hindered us a bit.

“If we are to be in the promotion shake-up and get out of this division, those are wins you have got to hang onto and get the job done.”