WANDERERS will not be distracted by the record books as they look to end 2023 on top of the League One pile.

A win on Saturday against Exeter City would equal the best sequence of results in 33 years and could signal a return to the automatic promotion places.

Oxford United and Portsmouth – who currently occupy the top two – are next up, as Ian Evatt’s side looks to continue a scintillating run of form into December and beyond.

A whole manner of pleasant statistics are circling Bolton at present but the manager knows complacency could be the main threat, if allowed to creep in this weekend.

Wanderers have Will Forrester and Kyle Dempsey back in contention and had a clean bill of health for their international contingent and Evatt is determined not to allow focus to slip.

“It is great to be on these runs because they don’t come around very often,” he told The Bolton News.

“It is a difficult thing to do but, for us, it is almost about forgetting the last seven and starting again.

“We had the opportunity to reset with the international break and I did see it as a positive because it was a chance to refocus minds, but I am excited about getting going again.

“We have a big run of games coming up, two big games coming up at Oxford and Portsmouth, we’re in two cup competitions, and Christmas is always busy.

“We are in a good place in the league without actually being where we want to be yet. We are still striving for more and I do think there is more to come from this group of players.

“Everyone is looking at us and the form we are in, there is a target on our back. From what I have seen this week the players are more than ready. There will be no complacency.”

Wanderers have nine games remaining until the turn of the New Year, including their Bristol Street Motors Second Round tie, the opponents of which will be drawn this evening.

And Evatt is looking for his players to show progress on all fronts as the season moves towards the half way marker.

He said: “Genuinely, we can improve in and out of possession, and we have games coming up now where we might not necessarily look the same off the ball. We might have to pay some respect to the opposition so our pressing strategy might change a bit, and we can work on that.

“We can be better in transition but I think we are playing forwards more and creating more chances. Stockport was a great example with Jon’s two goals.

“The players are in good form and we have some returning from injury who have looked razor sharp this week. We are in a good place but we know football can change quickly, we have to fight as hard as we can to stay on this run and that starts with me.

“When things are going well it is sometimes easy to step off the gas, to let things slide, but I see it the opposite way. You need to stick your foot down on the pedal and keep going.

“This has been a tough week for the players, we have worked them hard on the training ground, and hopefully some of the things we have worked on will come to fruition on Saturday.”