Bolton Wanderers boss Ian Evatt on Lloyd Isgrove absence against Crewe

The winger was due to make his return from injury in the Group B clash but was not included in Ian Evatt’s matchday squad.

Speaking after the game, the Wanderers boss explained that Isgrove had experience a minor foot problem similar to that of captain, Ricardo Santos.

“He has what Rico had, a bit of plantar fascia issue,” he told The Bolton News. “It’s a fat-pad on his heel that is caused by the hard ground and over-use since he came back, really. That will settle really quickly, but he just wasn’t ready for tonight.”

Isgrove made his return in the B Team a few weeks ago and has steadily stepped up his involvement since returning from a hamstring injury.

His last involvement for the first team was last November when he limped out of a 3-0 win against Doncaster Rovers.

Wanderers are waiting to see how long Declan John will be side-lined after the Wales international pulled out of the squad at Plymouth Argyle with an injury.

“We are waiting for a result on his scan,” Evatt confirmed. “He has a soleus calf injury and we don’t know how bad that is yet.

“We will wait for the report and then see the length of time he will be out for, but it’s not massively serious, we don’t think.

“But it is enough to keep him out for a period of time.”

Gethin Jones was brought off at the half time interval against Crewe, replaced by Conor Bradley, but will be in the running for a place in the squad to face Charlton Athletic this weekend at the University of Bolton Stadium.

“No it was all planned, everything was planned tonight and managed,” he said of the defender’s withdrawal at the break. “The substitutes were already organised before the game and we knew exactly what we were doing to manage people’s minutes and no issues there at all.”

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