Ian Evatt says 'it had been coming' after watching his Bolton side demolish Sunderland 6-0 - and 'everything went right on the day'.
The Black Cats collapsed to their heaviest-ever third tier defeat as they were humiliated by the Trotters at the University of Bolton Stadium.
Evatt has been in charge at Bolton for just over a year-and-a-half, and led to club to promotion to League One in his first season.
His second season has proved a tougher challenge, with Bolton enduring a miserable run of just one win in 13 league games between October and mid-January which saw them slip from the fringes of the play-off places to the edge of the relegation battle, but they have now stopped the rot with three successive victories.
Asked what was the most pleasing aspect of his side's win against Sunderland, he said: "I'd probably say the clean sheet, to be honest!
"For the near 19 months I've been in charge, people will probably say that has been coming but it hasn't felt like that for the last two months.
"Everything went right on the day, but I'm going to enjoy it because we have suffered for two or three months with some pain.
"Getting players back, getting players fit again, people in, has helped us but we have a lot of hard work to do.
"That's three wins and three clean sheets, but it is only a small step and we have a lot more work to do to get anywhere near where we want to be.
"I'm most pleased for the fans because they have suffered more than most over these last few months."
Bolton's frontmen tore Sunderland's brittle back line to shreds, with Dion Charles scoring twice and providing one assist, while Dapu Afolayan scored one and provided one assist.
The other goals came from Kieran Lee, an own-goal from Danny Batth, and from one-time Sunderland loannee Declan John.
Evatt said: "If we're playing two strikers against two central defenders then you have to make that pay. They are both quick and physically strong, Dion and Dapu, and we wanted them running down the sides of their centre-backs and they did that exceptionally well.
"Any team can only function, and is only as good as, its strikers and our strikers were outstanding."
Sunderland offered next-to-no attacking threat, with their only real opportunity falling to debutant Jack Clarke with the scoreline already at 4-0, and he was denied by keeper James Trafford.
"They had one chance, but credit to James who is a young goalkeeper and even though we were playing the way we were, he stayed switched on and concentrating and made that save - that was brilliant," said Evatt.
For the latest Sunderland news direct to your inbox, go here to sign up to our free newsletter
