Bolton boss Evatt puts positive spin on draw with Derby

Bolton boss Ian Evatt put a positive spin on his team’s 0-0 League One stalemate with play-off rivals Derby in front of a crowd of 25,428 at the University of Bolton Stadium.

Wanderers stay fifth and one point clear of the Rams, whose ninth league game unbeaten – 13 in all competitions – lifted Paul Warne’s team up to sixth.

“I will view that as a point gained,” said Evatt. “But I think there is a lot more to come from this group.

“These games are always tight and we have to learn to get the better of those moments.

“We had arguably the best chance of the game with Dion (Charles) who should probably score.

“When we showed some composure, we played through them quite well. But we didn’t show that enough and maybe that is credit to the opposition.”

On Bolton’s highest attendance since their Premier League days in 2012, Evatt said: “Players like Conor Bradley, James Trafford and George Johnston are only experiencing this for the first time.

“That was an intense atmosphere against a big football club. We gave a good account of ourselves but we can do better.

“But if you can’t win, you don’t lose, especially these big games because it would have been a six-point swing.”

Charles should have netted his 11th goal of the season but fired wide after 57 minutes while substitute Elias Kachunga saw a stoppage-time shot saved by Joe Wildsmith.

Derby boss Warne was convinced the visitors should have been awarded a first-half penalty when Eoin Toal challenged Tom Barkhuizen.

Referee Samuel Barrott ignored the claims, and Warne said: “I am very biased but I cannot see why that’s not a penalty or a foul at least.

“They (the officials) said it wasn’t a foul but from where I was it looked like an assault.

“I don’t normally react on the side of the pitch; I am pretty passive. But I jumped on the pitch in anger.

“I was hugely disappointed but it could all have been in my imagination because I have not seen it back.

“I am looking forward to the email that tells me why it wasn’t a penalty in three weeks’ time when I am really calm.”

On his team’s latest point, Warne added: “I thought it would be a game defined by an error, not a great bit of play.

“I always want more and we came here to win. We don’t set up ever to stay in the game.

“Bolton started better than us but we had a really good run at it. But I am still frustrated we can’t turn draws into wins in tight games like that.”