Bolton Wanderers were held to a draw by National League side Stockport County in the first round of the FA Cup.
League One Wanderers hosted the National League side at the University of Bolton Stadium.
Backed by some 5,000 away supporters, the visitors took a shock lead when Scott Quigley put them in front, but Wanderers rallied and got back on level terms when Eoin Doyle equalised and then went ahead thanks to Elias Kachunga.
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But County equalised in first half stoppage time when Ben Whitfield slotted home, with the tie being taken to a replay at Edgeley Park and the game likely to be played on Tuesday, November 16.
After the game Wanderers boss Ian Evatt spoke to the press and here's his immediate reaction to the draw.
What did you make of it?
“We controlled the game from start to finish more or less, just two mistakes from ourselves, two sloppy goals, gave them some hope and belief. We had control, limited them to very, very little.
"We just didn’t, especially second half, move the ball quickly enough. We had possession, we had control, but we were slow with our tempo and our play and in turn didn’t work them hard enough.
“But we’re still in the hat. They had a lot of things in their favour today, they had 5,000 fans who were amazing support from them and a new manager with tails up - they had nothing to lose really. We’re still in the hat and that’s the main thing. Large parts were quite good, we just didn’t play quickly enough in the second half and then we need to cut out our mistakes.”
What would you be hoping to improve on more than anything else?
“A couple of things. When we’re having control and we’ve got possession as we always do, we have to move it quickly, because if we don’t move it quickly, it’s easy for them to get set.
"We’re not tiring them out because they’re set in positions. They can just adjust in a walk or a jog really, but when you move it with speed and tempo, even when you’re unopposed, they have to adjust quickly and if they don’t, we can pick them off.
"If they do, it tires them out for the last half an hour, we just second half, even though we had control we just didn’t test them enough.”
Were you disappointed with the goals you conceded?
“Yeah, they were really poor goals. For the first one I don’t think they had any possession. I thought we just completely controlled it and looked like we were going to score at any point and then just as we’ve been doing of late, we blow a big hole in our foot.
“Just a bad decision from a young player, but that can happen, but then we regathered ourselves and scored two excellent goals. I thought the goal from Doyle the way we moved them, the way we played quickly, our running behind and then the quality of cross was there for all to see.
“We get ourselves ahead. Kacha’s needed a goal and he got one today, which is important that he starts chipping in and then again, just before half-time, it’s just game management.
"Our decision making to empty the middle of the pitch and then Joel to kick long when he didn’t need to kick long, then makes it a transition and they’re playing for transitions, they’re wanting transitions because the way we play, we’re open and expansive in possession and if you give the ball away, they can hurt you quickly and they did that with the second goal.
"Just poor decision making, poor game management, but we’re still in the hat - that’s the main thing and now we need to go there and hopefully our fans will see what their fans have done today and we can go there and show what we’re about as a football club and make it difficult for them.”
It sounds overall that you’ve had a frustrating afternoon?
“I’m always frustrated when we don’t win, but this is a competition that has a nasty habit of biting you in the backside and banana skins and there’s lots of clubs that aren’t still in the hat that are a very similar stature and size to ours, so for now we have to take our medicine and make sure we do the right thing and in the replay and win it.”
