Bolton Wanderers boss reveals injury secret for Jack Iredale

The Australian had a productive night against Stevenage, scoring his second goal of the season, making one for Josh Sheehan and winning a first-half penalty for Dion Charles.

Evatt explained that Iredale – who missed the last four-and-a-half months of last season with a knee issue – suffered a minor setback a few weeks ago but has now bounced back to help his side to three successive wins in league and cup.

“Jack has been thrown back in because of circumstances after a lengthy spell out with injury and generally he has done great,” he said. “He had a little bit of fatigue and a tiny issue with the knee a few weeks back which coincided with a little dip in form but we have refreshed him and he stepped up. He had a superb impact on the game.

“We know he gives us that flexibility to do dual roles with the left-side centre-back and the left wing-back if we need him to. He has been rushed back to play so often after a pretty serious injury, he had a little dip, but that was entirely understandable in the circumstances. We trust him and he has shown there what a valuable player he is for us.

“The pleasing thing is that we are turning into leaders and not followers. We have more leaders now and Jack is one of them, they demand from each other in the correct way. And when you are together like that you manage to find ways to win. It isn’t always the prettiest but it is a vital one.”

Jack Iredale's game against Stevenage, broken down into numbers (Image: camerasport)

Iredale was walking a tightrope with referee Josh Smith last night, having picked up a debatable first yellow card, Stevenage boss Steve Evans claimed after the game he should have been handed a second for a foul on Jamie Reid.

George Thompson was also treading a fine line through most of a physical match and Evatt admitted he was mulling over the idea of bringing both players off in the second half.

“I had Azzer (Aaron Morley) on the bench and I was considering changing it, and I was considering taking Jack off as well for Zac because they were on a tightrope – but with the type of team Stevenage are, we needed some physicality,” he said. “There comes a point where we just had to trust them and I am delighted with them both that they managed to see the game out and stay on the pitch.”

Thomason’s inclusion from the start, in place of Morley, had been down to Evatt wanting a slightly more defensive edge to his midfield, he later explained.

“Just having his physicality, especially the way they play and try to dominate, competing for second balls, and an extra marker from set plays as well, it was something we had to think about,” he said. “As you saw, they are an extremely challenging team to play against and I am delighted we have managed to win it.”

Steve Evans complained that referee Smith had been “horrendous” and that Bolton should have ended up with “eight or nine” men on the pitch.

Evatt was none too happy with some of the cautions given to his own players – but believes it was the result of a scrappy contest.

“We don’t seem to get any given – but we’re not ones to scream and shout for yellow and red cards, it isn’t the way we do things. I think Steve wasn’t too happy with the referee but I am not really sure why, it is just one of those games.

“When they drag you into that sort of blood and thunder contest there are lots of tackles, lots of first contacts with headers, duels, and credit to them, they do it very well.”