Delighted Ian Evatt reckons second-placed Bolton finally came of age by beating a potential Sky Bet League One promotion rival in their 2-1 win over Derby.
Last season’s play-off semi-finalists slumped to a 4-0 hammering by Wigan on their last home appearance and have often flattered to deceive against supposed fancied teams.
But despite falling behind to Conor Hourihane’s 33rd-minute penalty, Wanderers hit back in a game that saw Derby reduced to 10-men after goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith’s dismissal.
Dion Charles scored an equalising spot-kick before the break to register his fifth goal in as many games.
And after Wildsmith’s sending off after 48 minutes for handling a goal bound Charles shot, Bolton grabbed a 65th-minute winner when Josh Dacres-Cogley’s effort looped off Tyrese Fornah and over substitute keeper Josh Vickers.
“For the first time we showed up against a direct competitor and played the way I know we can,” said Evatt.
“We started exactly how we should have done, but didn’t in the Wigan game.
“We were on the front foot, we were aggressive, we won duels, we played with tempo and we had them penned in for large periods.
“We conceded a goal and it would have been easy for the players to feel sorry for ourselves.
“It would have been easy for fans in the stadium to feel sorry for themselves. But I think the way the majority backed the players today, it was rocking.
“We got ourselves back in the game and I thought it was a deserved three points in the end.
“The sending off almost didn’t help us. Derby almost sacrificed attacking until the last five minutes which were a bit edgy because of the last couple of weeks.”
Derby boss Paul Warne described Wildsmith’s red card as “on the shade of harsh”, but reckoned his team’s defeat was partially self-inflicted.
“I could not tell whether the ball hit him on the chest or his arm,” said Warne.
“What I can say it is difficult for a goalkeeper if it gets smashed at him from 10 yards not to naturally react.”
Warne also pointed to a possible second penalty after first-half culprit Victor Adeboyejo clumsily challenged substitute Sonny Bradley.
“The lad is not looking at the ball and puts him (Bradley) on the floor, which isn’t easy considering Sonny is 6’4”,” Warne added.
“It was frustrating, but that aside I don’t think we were good enough in the first half. Or as good as we should be.
“I keep saying they are better than what they think. They need to play with more courage.”
Warne also confirmed Jake Rooney faces a lengthy absence after suffering a knee injury in the early stages of the first half, which led to Bradley’s introduction.
Bayern Munich 3-0 Augsburg: Hat-trick hero Kane smashes Bundesliga record
Harry Kane scored a hat-trick to become the quickest player to score 50 Bundesliga goals as Bayern Munich comfortably dispatched Augsburg 3-0 on Friday.
Kane opened the scoring in the 63rd with a penalty before netting a quickfire double in second-half stoppage time to smash the record previously held by Erling Haaland.
Despite controlling the early possession, Bayern were unable to make their dominance count, with Nediljko Labrovic rarely troubled in the opening 45 minutes.
The hosts maintained their dominance after the interval, with Leon Goretzka's looped header grazing the crossbar before Jamal Musiala went close soon after.
However, Bayern were awarded a penalty after a lengthy VAR review saw Mads Pedersen penalised for handling the ball, with Kane stepping up to score from 12 yards.
The England captain grabbed his second of the game in the third-minute of stoppage time following another VAR review which saw Keven Schlotterbeck sent off after tripping Kane inside the box.
Kane sent Labrovic the wrong way but was not to be denied a fourth treble of the season, brilliantly taking down Goretzka's searching ball before heading the ball home.
Data Debrief: HurriKane
Kane has now scored 50 Bundesliga goals in 43 matches. Before him, Haaland was the quickest player to reach 50 Bundesliga goals, having done so in 50 appearances in the competition for Borussia Dortmund.
He is also the quickest to reach that total for Bayern by some distance. Kane has reached that tally quicker than the likes of Gerd Muller (83 games), Mario Gomez (71 games), Roy Makaay (67 games) and Robert Lewandowski (64 games).
10 of Kane’s goals have come from penalties, while 32 of them have been with his right foot, nine with his left and nine with his head.
Messi 'will be our No.10 in 2026', hopes Inter Miami chief Mas
Inter Miami fully expect Lionel Messi to remain at the club beyond his current contract ahead of the 2026 MLS season.
Those were the words of Miami's club managing owner, Jorge Mas, who was speaking to the media following Gerardo Martino's resignation earlier on Friday.
Messi joined the MLS side in July 2023 on a two-and-a-half-year contract, leading the Herons to the Supporters' Shield and Leagues Cup during his time in the United States so far.
His current deal is due to expire at the end of next year, though Mas made clear his desire to see Messi remain with the Herons at Miami Freedom Park, the club's new stadium that will open in 2026.
"He’s under contract through 2025. Leo and I will sit, and we’ll discuss the future,” Mas said.
“As I’ve said before, and I will repeat it now: I fully expect that in the opening of our new stadium in 2026 in Miami and the opening of our 2026 season, hopefully after a trophy-laden 2025 season, that Lionel Messi will be our No. 10.”
Man United could be without Toone until new year, says Skinner
Marc Skinner revealed that Manchester United could be without midfielder Ella Toone until the new year after she picked up a calf injury in training.
Toone has featured in five games in the Women's Super League this season, but is yet to register a goal or an assist so far this term.
The 25-year-old has missed United's last two games and was not selected in Sarina Wiegman's England squad for their upcoming friendlies against the United States and Switzerland.
She had previously appeared in a staggering 96 straight matches before missing United's WSL showdown with Leicester City last weekend.
But ahead of the Red Devils' meeting with league leaders Chelsea on Sunday, Skinner confirmed they would be without Toone for not only that game, but for the foreseeable future.
"We have three games [after the international break and before Christmas]. There's always the hope, but I think you balance and you go, 'right, if we can get her back, we get her back'," Skinner said.
"But we're just not going to rush her in this moment because it's a calf injury, it's your running mechanism. If we injure the running mechanism, it takes longer.
"So ideally we'd like her back for those games afterwards.
"The projection is she misses this game [Chelsea], she misses the international window, probably misses the first game after that, and then we'll see from there.
"But because it is such a short block of only three games, we'll assess whether it's worth that or actually resetting to come back after Christmas."
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
