Evatt looking for ‘miracle’, Pompey celebrate the title
IAN Evatt believes Bolton Wanderers need a “miracle” to gain automatic promotion after being held to a 2-2 draw by lowly Shrewsbury Town in League One on Tuesday night.
Wanderers twice came from behind to earn a point thanks to Paris Maghoma’s 71st-minute equaliser.
However, the Trotters are three points behind second-placed Derby County with both sides having two games left but with the Rams boasting a superior goal difference.
“It is not over,” said Evatt. “But it is five football matches in our eyes now.
“If a miracle happens then so be it. But it is five matches to win and this team is more than capable of that.
“If we can do it at Wembley (in the play-offs), people will enjoy themselves. The time to analyse what has happened and gone wrong isn’t now.
“For now we just focus on winning five more games. It is possible (to gain automatic promotion) but we have to be realistic.
“Derby have a fantastic chance of sealing the deal on Saturday.
“Our general performance was good but we conceded sloppy goals at one end and didn’t take our chances at the other.
“There is frustration and disappointment for a number of reasons. It is a game we should have won.
“But we have said that too many times where we have lost key personnel which makes a difference.”
Shrewsbury are still not safe from relegation but shrugged off their worries to cause Wanderers problems, particularly in the first half.
Dan Udoh fired Town in front after 21 minutes, only for veteran striker Cameron Jerome’s first goal for Bolton to level four minutes from half-time.
Jordan Shipley restored Town’s lead with a stunning low left-footed drive two minutes later.
Ex-shrewsbury loanee Nat Ogbeta missed a great chance to equalise early in the second half before Maghoma eventually saved face for the home side.
Meanwhile, Portsmouth clinched the League One title with a 3-2 home win against Barnsley on Tuesday night.
Pompey looked to be missing their opportunity in front of their own fans when, needing one point to return to the second tier after a 12-year absence, they were 2-1 behind after Devante Cole and John Mcatee struck either side of Kusini Yengi’s equaliser.
But the hosts hit back in the final seven minutes, Colby Bishop scoring from the penalty spot and former Brewer Conor Shaughnessy heading home the winner.
“I think once everything settles down it will sink in properly,” said Pompey manager John Mousinho, who only took charge at Fratton Park in January last year.
“I’ve never experienced anything like that, the last 15 minutes, it was absolutely incredible.
“Even at 2-1 down, to get the momentum and the crowd behind us, I am just so proud of the boys. I’m genuinely just so pleased for everyone connected to the football club. They’ve gone through so much.
“When we got it back to 3-2 I thought we have played so poor but found a way to win somehow in a game where we really struggled. It really does sum up the boys.
“A tough night, tough conditions, but they got the job done. It’s hard for me to sum it up but I get what’s happened over the last 15 years at the club and how difficult it was, on the brink of liquidation. To come back and have a night like this is incredible to be involved in.
“To be head coach, it is a privilege. Hopefully, we can have a few more nights like this.
“I never could have imagined this happening this quickly. This was obviously the goal at some point but I didn’t think it would happen with two games to go this season.
“It is a remarkable achievement. That is a serious effort to be crowned champions ahead of some of the big boys in this league as well.”