Ian Evatt praised the response of his players as they hit back to deliver a vital win for Wanderers, writes Pete Oliver.
George Thomason’s equaliser and an injury-time clincher from Aaron Collins gave Evatt his 100th league victory as Bolton boss.
And Evatt was delighted with the way his team stood up to the test of overcoming a half-time deficit against one of their local rivals on the back of a 5-0 loss at Stockport County last time out in League One.
“In the first half we were edgy and safe and lacked belief in what we were trying to do and coming away from the framework which is set up in training. That is literally a confidence thing and a mindset thing,” Evatt told Wanderers TV after the 2-1 win over Blackpool.
“But I said in the week this group of players, myself and the staff, have always found a way to respond and the second half was a brilliant response and thoroughly deserved.
“Everything that was not right in the first half came together in the second half and we deserved to win the game, I don't think anyone can argue with that.
“We missed a great chance with Collo, had a goal disallowed and one or two other opportunities and we just kept going and going and I was delighted for Collo to get the winner.
“I’m delighted for us to get the win because you can see what it means to everybody. I'm quite emotional because what they gave me in the second half just shows how together we are.
“We have suffered. We've spoken about that we've had some heavy, heavy criticism, some of it deserved some of it no so, I think it's fair to say. But we've always found a way to respond.”
Returning captain Thomason led that response as Evatt’s tactical tweak fully paid with both Thomason and Collins pushed further forward after the break.
It made for a thrilling finish and sent the fans home happy after they had helped lift the Whites to a seventh win in 10 league games to close back in on the top six.
“We all want to see the same thing,” Evatt added. “We all want to see Bolton Wanderers win on a Saturday and we try to work towards that goal.
“I thought it was a brilliant game and the atmosphere here when it's like that is incredible. It was end-to-end and in the second half we got what we deserved which I’m delighted about.
“We always find a way to respond. This group is very much together, contrary to what anyone else thinks. We all want what's best for Bolton Wanderers and we all want to do as well as we can for this football club.
“We've seen today with the other results, and Birmingham losing to Shrewsbury, that this league is tough. It's challenging and it's the team that stays the course which will prevail in the end and there's a long way to go yet.”
Watch the full post-match interview with the manager and hear from captain George Thomason on Wanderers TV