Declan John was replaced at half-time of Bolton Wanderers' Carabao Cup first round thrashing of Salford City due to illness rather than injury.
Brandon Thomas-Asante put the visitors in front last night at the University of Bolton Stadium, but Wanderers equalised through Elias Kachunga. Jon Dadi Bodvarsson ensured Wanderers went into the break ahead.
Kieran Sadlier added a third after half-time, before Liverpool loanee Conor Bradley came off the bench to score a stunning fourth. Dapo Afolayan scored a late fifth before George Thomason was shown a straight red card for a challenge on Luke Bolton as the Whites booked their place in the second round in style with a 5-1 win.
READ MORE: Bolton Wanderers player ratings vs Salford City - Jones, Lee, Kachunga & Bodvarsson good in win
John was replaced at the break by Jack Iredale and did not emerge for the second half. Evatt clarified that this was down to illness rather than any injury as he expressed pleasure at coming from behind and especially the passing move of their second goal.
He said: “He (John) was just feeling unwell. A bit of stomach cramps and slight dizziness, so we’ll see. He might have a virus or something, but no real injury to speak of. Just illness.
“I thought we started well. We had control, we had the ball, we looked sharp and incisive and just a couple of times some slack decisions and then just half a yard off the intensity required to get real pressure on the ball and to be fair, they punished us, especially down their right in the first half and for the first 20 minutes or so and then we got to grips with it.
“The goal spurred us on and then we really stuck to our task, found the solutions and then were clinical and ruthless in the final third, so I’m pleased.”
“That’s (second goal) how I believe the game should be played and it’s not everybody’s cup of tea. I understand that but football is full of opinions, it’s subjective, whatever you want to see and like.
“But for me if ever there was a goal to define what we do on the training pitch and how hard we work that was it.”
Evatt brought on B team players Nelson Khumbeni and Lamine Toure for their first team debuts towards the end of the encounter. He believes it shows to the new second string side thaat there is a path to the Wanderers first team.
Reflecting on Thomason's red card, which Bolton intend to appeal, Evatt revealed the conversation he had with Thomason after the decision was made. He believes the midfielder was outstanding on the night and is hopeful that the sending off will be rescinded.
He said: “Those players have been training really well for the B team, day in, day out. They’ve showed up well in the games and for the B team to be here in attendance and watch two of their team mates get on the pitch for the first team and make their debuts should really inspire them to make sure that they’re impressing the coaches day in day out.
“Every day on the training pitch is an opportunity to impress us and it’ll show that there is a clear pathway here, so great.
“I think it’s probably spoilt his night. It’s not spoilt mine because I’ve told him he does not need to worry about that. These things happen in football, decisions get made and hopefully the right decision will be made and we can get it overturned, but I thought he was outstanding on the night.”
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