Ian Evatt vows to ‘silence a few doubters’ after late break at home to Cambridge

Jan 18, 2025 2 min read
Ian Evatt is determined to silence the doubters (PA)
Ian Evatt is determined to silence the doubters (PA)

Defiant Ian Evatt vowed to battle on and “silence a few doubters” after Bolton fans chanted for his dismissal at full-time despite seeing their side snatch an unlikely late point.

Evatt has come under increasing pressure in recent times and the mood did not improve as relegation-haunted Cambridge ended a five-game losing run with a deserved 2-2 draw at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.

On-loan Josh Stokes’ first league goal for Garry Monk’s side gave the visitors a fourth-minute lead in the Sky Bet League One contest.

John McAtee equalised after 34 minutes, only for Wanderers’ old boy Elias Kachunga to add to his early assist with his fifth goal in eight games two minutes later.

Cambridge goalkeeper Marko Marosi denied top scorer Aaron Collins and home debutant Josh Randall in quick succession in the second half but was beaten by Zeno Ibsen Rossi’s 90th minute own goal.

“All is not lost,” insisted Evatt. “We are one win and a game in hand off the play-offs.

“It is a hard sell but we still have things to play for. I have not to take it so personally and make sure I am positive and focused on what I am trying to do.

“With adversity comes opportunity and I see this as a chance to maybe silence a few doubters.

“The message to everyone is we should be judged at the end of the season. If we don’t get promotion then we know what that means for me personally and for what it means for everyone.

“People are forgetting four and a half years of good work and with this club at ground zero.”

Evatt admitted Bolton’s slow start did not make life any easier but claimed: “I don’t think it was a bad performance.

“The biggest issue for me is how easy we have become to score against.

“We have always been proud of our clean sheet record. But this season we are giving it up too easily.”

Cambridge are eight points from safety and manager Garry Monk said: “There is disappointment not walking out of here with three points,

“On the flip side, we could not have given any more. They were excellent all the way through.

“I am really proud of that performance. You could see everyone was fighting.

“In the first half we were excellent and looked a threat as well. In the second half you expect them to come out and have pressure.

“But after from Marko’s double save, they didn’t have too many shots on our goal.

“We defended manfully and what was Zeno supposed to do? He put his body on the line and nine times out of 10 that goes wide of the goal.

“So, it is extremely unfortunate. For the effort and everything that went into the game, we deserved three points.”

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