Bolton ease past Solihull Moors as Ian Evatt ends FA Cup hoodoo

Ian Evatt secured his first ever FA Cup managerial win as League One Bolton hammered National League Solihull Moors 4-0 at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.

Goals from skipper Ricardo Santos, Paris Maghoma, Will Forrester and substitute Dion Charles, who also had a penalty saved, earned Evatt overdue success after five previous knockouts, including three with the Trotters.

The four-time cup winners had not enjoyed victory in the competition since 2019 when, as a Championship club, they beat Walsall 5-2.

Solihull, who finished with 10 men after captain Jamey Osborne’s stoppage-time dismissal, never threatened to inflict more misery on Evatt or his club.

On-loan teenager Tommy Simkin saved from Maghoma, who also hit the bar, and Dan Nlundulu before Ricardo headed in Aaron Morley’s 39th-minute corner.

Maghoma made it 2-0 in the 51st minute after James Clarke cleared off the line from Jon Dadi Bodvarsson.

Wanderers keeper Nathan Baxter, a one-time teenage Moors loanee, made a rare save to deny Richard Stearman after 58 minutes.

Forrester netted his maiden Trotters goal after 69 minutes and though Charles was denied by Simkin from the spot, he atoned three minutes from time.