Ian Evatt bemoans ‘one that got away’ as Bolton can only draw with Burton

Posted Wednesday, April 19, 2023 by PA

Bolton boss Ian Evatt felt that two points got away as Josh Walker’s equaliser grabbed Burton a point from a 1-1 draw after former Brewers striker Victor Adeboyejo had seemingly set the Trotters on the way to victory.

Adeboyejo helped Aaron Morley’s long-range effort past Burton keeper Craig MacGillivray in the fifth minute and Wanderers held Albion at bay until substitute Walker netted less than a minute after coming on.

Evatt said: “The players are going to feel like one has got away here. I think it was a really good performance, an excellent performance in fact. We limited them to very little.

“James (Trafford) has made a really good save before the goal and then was unlucky with the goal after a save fell straight to them and then we had enough chances to win three games.

“But football has a funny way sometimes of evening itself out and for as much as the Exeter and Oxford victories were a bit backs to the wall at times it was much more like us tonight.”

Wanderers squandered some good chances to win the game with George Thomason missing a gilt-edged chance and substitute Cameron Jerome only finding the side netting.

“We dominated the ball but for whatever reason we just didn’t have that final bit tonight,” added Evatt. “If they play like that for the last four games we will have no problems.”

Wanderers sit sixth, ahead of Derby, but crucially with a game in hand going into the final weeks of the season.

Evatt said: “We are still in the top six which is all important and we still have that extra game.

“It is now like we have always wanted it, down to us and in our hands so we have to keep going and doing the business but there was a lot to like about that performance tonight.”

After toppling leaders Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday, Dino Maamria was pleased that his Burton side continued their unbeaten run against the Trotters.

“We are very pleased with a point,” he said. “It’s been a tough game.

“For us to get going after Saturday, we knew it would be tough. But that is how far we’ve come as a team. I think four or five months ago we would probably have lost that game.”

Crucially Albion stayed in the game, with Dale Taylor and Charlie Kirk both failing to capitalise on good chances to equalise either side of half-time.

Maamria added: “It was really important not to concede that second goal and in a funny way we had some open-goal chances to score as well. I think Dale and Kirky’s chances were open goals really.

“Both teams had a lot of chances. I think a draw is a fair result.

“It’s been a tough run for us. We picked up some points up, only lost at Charlton, and now we’ve got another big one at Derby on Saturday.”