Bolton Wanderers returned to winning ways in League One with a much needed victory over the division's bottom club Crewe Alex.
After a goalless first half at the University of Bolton Stadium, Wanderers broke the deadlock when Amadou Bakayoko was brought down in the box.
Josh Sheehan stepped up to coolly slot home from the penalty spot and give the hosts the advantage.
READ MORE: Bolton Wanderers player ratings v Crewe Alex as Amadou Bakayoko and Lloyd Isgrove impress in win
And Bakayoko grabbed Bolton's second goal shortly after, stabbing home from Elias Kachunga's low cross to ensure the hosts claimed their first win in the division since the start of October and climb to 10th in the league.
After the game, Wanderers boss Ian Evatt spoke to the press and here's his initial reaction.
What’s your assessment?
“I’m very happy with the win. I think the win was the most important thing today. First half they were very deep and almost had a back six, and I understand the nerves from the crowd because if we’d have won the last three or four games, they’d have probably viewed it as a good half of football.
“We controlled possession, they were so deep that we had to pick our way through and increase the tempo at certain moments and take those moments and we did, but we just didn’t have the finishing touch. You’re not going to create chance after chance against teams in a low block, especially when there’s five or six back there, so you have to be patient, but I understand some frustration at the recent results and that’s why there was a few nerves I guess.
“Second half we came out fast, increased the tempo, got the two goals and then all of a sudden, they have nothing to fear, nothing to lose and start passing the ball. Because of the run we’ve been on, we became a bit fearful and nervous.
“The most important thing is a win.”
Is the overriding emotion relief?
“I wouldn’t say relief, but I’d say we’re really happy to win a game. It’s been a long October. We felt like we’d stopped the rot a little bit with the cup performances. I know we drew the game against Stockport, but predominantly we should have won that game.
“It was a good performance against Rochdale and it was important that we won at all costs tonight and we managed to do that. We know we can be better and we will be better.
"We’ve now stopped the rot, so to speak, and we can now focus on the cup game and then a difficult trip to Wycombe next week.”
What’s the problem with Eoin Doyle?
“He’s got a calf injury. To be honest Eoin’s been playing with an injury and managing it really well in a lot of pain. Then he picked up a calf injury in the Stockport match. It’s a grade one, which is a slight tear of the calf, very slight and the smallest one you can get, but it’s still there.
"Eoin being Eoin was willing to put himself out there and play, but the risk of him playing and losing him for three or four weeks was too big to take so we decided against it.”
Do you have to issue a few words of wisdom at half-time?
“No. We just made them recognise where the space was. We made a slight tactical tweak. We were a double pivot and a 10 first half, and then we changed it to a pivot and two eights, and we started to get more joy and created them more problems in the half spaces early on in the half.
"We got the goals and changed it back to a double pivot and a 10 just to manage the game and get us over the line, that was the most important thing.”
