Trotters reach Wembley but Evatt annoyed

BOLTON Wanderers boss Ian Evatt said it was “a lot more uncomfortable than it needed to be” after his side moved into the League One play-off final despite being beaten at home by Barnsley.

After winning last Friday’s semifinal first leg 3-1 at Oakwell, Bolton had their lead halved in the 36th minute by Sam Cosgrove before hitting back with a fine Aaron Collins strike and an Eoin Toal header in quick succession just prior to the break.

The second half then saw Barnsley punish the hosts losing possession as Adam Phillips scored in the 64th minute, with Cosgrove making it 3-2 on the night 12 minutes later to set up a tense finale.

The Trotters held out for the 5-4 aggregate win to gain revenge over the side who got past them at the same stage last season and set up a Wembley showdown a week on Saturday with either Oxford United or Peterborough United.

Oxford were 1-0 up from the first leg and the second leg at Peterborough took place last night.

Former Rams defender Evatt said: “I think eventually I’ll get to the place of happiness.

“It was a lot more uncomfortable than it needed to be. The game was going nowhere, we’d done the hard part in the first half, we’d just had a massive chance to make it 3-1, and then just a crazy mistake gifts them a goal.

“Credit to them, they put us under enormous pressure.

“They’ve got nothing to lose, playing fearless football, and we have everything to lose.

“Eventually I’ll get to the positives. I’m more annoyed with the manner in which we conceded the equaliser.

“But I’m proud of players, because in the first half (Barnsley) got the first goal and we reacted to that so well, got two great goals, playing some really good stuff.

“In the second half we had complete control and a moment of madness changed the momentum. But I’m just delighted we have managed to see it through.

“We were so confident and playing so well that it probably spilled into a little bit of overconfidence. But the players have done it, over the two legs we deserved to win.

“I’m not celebrating at all, my mindset is on one more game and I’ve told the players the truth.

“Their ears might be ringing a bit but they have to hear it and understand that we have to make that more comfortable for everybody. We didn’t and that’s our fault.

“But for large parts of that game, I thought we played really well.”

Barnsley interim boss Martin Devaney described it as “a hell of a game” and said: “We took them to the wire.

“We showed real grit, real character. To come here and put on that performance I thought was fantastic.

“That’s how we want to see a Barnsley team. I’m really proud of the players.”