Ian Evatt is under no illusions that the clash against Plymouth Argyle is a big game for both the Pilgrims and Bolton Wanderers with both teams in the hunt for the top six as he vowed his side will attack the encounter in a bid to keep their play-offs push alive.
Wanderers have their second game in the space of five days at the University of Bolton Stadium with the visit of the Pilgrims.
Bolton sit 11th in the table as things stand and seven points from the top six, while Steven Schumacher's side are in the play-offs and just a point ahead of Wycombe Wanderers and Sheffield Wednesday.
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The Pilgrims won the reverse fixture 3-0 at Home Park in October and Wanderers will be seeking to make amends for that defeat.
Wanderers have nine games left of their season and have little margin for error in their bid to reach the top six, while Plymouth are embroiled in a close fight with sides around them in a bid to stay in the play-offs.
Evatt admits tomorrow's encounter is a big one for both sides and that of course Wanderers want to make the top six this season.
But he vowed that Bolton must not be too downbeat if that does not come to pass this campaign and that as a newly-promoted team, they have given themselves a good platform to build upon in the following season to push on and make a sustained promotion bid as their poor runs from 2021/22 might have given them too much to do.
He said: “I have been around too long in football to ever write anything off but it is a very big game, there’s no getting around it.
“It is big for both teams but we need to concentrate on ourselves, performing to our levels and when we do, as you have seen, we are a match for anyone around.
“Our margin for error is a lot smaller than theirs, we’re under no illusion there but we want to attack the game, try to win, and move to the next one.
“We all want it to happen this season and get into the play-offs but we cannot be too downbeat if that isn’t what ends up happening.
“As a newly-promoted team we have given ourselves a platform to build on and if it isn’t now, then next season we’ll be in a great position to push for that top spot and get promoted.
“We want to do it this year, we’ll do our best to do it this year, but there are no guarantees with some of the poor runs we have had."
A different game is expected from the midweek clash against Morecambe and last weekend's away trip to Gillingham, where Wanderers had to break down two sides who sat in and defended.
Evatt is hoping for a good and entertaining encounter and accepts the Pilgrims do have pressure on them owing to their position in the table, but the Bolton boss believes their opponents will be able to handle that.
He added: “I don’t really want to comment on what Plymouth will do but I am pretty sure they won’t come and try to park the bus like the last two sides have done.
“They will back themselves and they should do, they are great, I have seen a lot of their games and they do a lot of things well.
“I just hope it is a good game for all and we come out the right side of it.
"They’re going to be playing with pressure, of course, but they are a good team and I have no doubt that they will handle that pressure.
"For us, we will respect the opposition as always but we must focus on ourselves and focus on improving. I think we are improving, we are evolving. If we can be the best version of ourselves, we’ve got a chance of beating anybody."
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