JON Dadi Bodvarsson is getting closer to making his first Wanderers start.

The Icelander has been restricted to substitute appearances since switching from Millwall but impressed again in midweek against Charlton, coming close to scoring his first goal for the club.

Ian Evatt admits the striker is now pushing hard for a place in the side against Oxford United this weekend.

“Jon is in a similar situation to Dion in that we have had to treat him with kid gloves since he came in, make sure we don’t break him,” the manager said. “We will keep building up his minutes and the intensity, and I think he is getting better with every single game.

“He just needs a goal and he was unfortunate tonight, it was a fantastic save.

“There’s a lot more games to come this month, there are lot more games to come in the season, and in the future as well. We didn’t just sign Jon for the here and now. He is going to be a big player for us in the future too, so we have done some good business.

“There is a lot of improvement to come.”

Evatt has also given credit to Tuesday’s night’s matchwinner, Will Aimson, who has shown his versatility by playing either side of the Bolton back three in the past two games.

The former Plymouth and Bury defender has started only four of the last 10 matches in all competitions but has proven to be a reliable character in the squad.

“I’m pleased that we’ve scored from a set play,” he said. “Will came in on his wrong foot and wrong side did great. He defends really well and he hasn’t let anybody down when he played.

“Obviously, we have some good players in that position, and he has had to be patient, as they are all going to have to learn to be. I have just said that to them in there. The team is going to have to change. We can’t keep doing what we do and play with the intensity we want to play at with the same 11 playing Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday for an entire month.

“We have to trust everybody and give people opportunities and that’ll be the case on Saturday.”