IAN Evatt felt victory in the wind and rain at Fleetwood ranked among the best his side has achieved in a successful 2023.

Wanderers marched back into the automatic promotion spots after second half strikes from Dion Charles and Victor Adeboyejo sealed a thoroughly deserved win at Highbury.

Whereas wild nights such as the one that faced them on the Fylde Coast have often been Bolton’s undoing, Evatt felt a mature and resolute display marked how far his team has come.

“That was proper,” he said. “I am really proud of the players tonight. It was a really professional and clinical performance in awful conditions.

“We always look to the past to judge our journey and how far we have come, and I think in years gone by, we wouldn’t have performed like we did there in these conditions.

“We didn’t become panicked in the first half. We had all the pressure, all the shots, all the domination, goals didn’t go in. But at half time we spoke about being calm and executing what we are capable of doing in the second half. We kept them at arm’s length in what was a proper away performance.”

Wanderers have taken nine points from nine in their three festive fixtures so far, including successive and comprehensive victories away from home at Lincoln and Fleetwood.

“I think both away performances have been very good,” Evatt said. “The one against Leyton Orient was first-half Real Madrid, second-half Dog and Duck. But that will happen at times, we are not always going to have it our own way. What we are managing to do is find different ways to win football matches.

“Tonight, these conditions were as bad as it gets for football and the way we want to play, but I was so proud with the way we went about our business.”

Wanderers host Burton Albion on New Year’s Day with a chance to go top if Portsmouth drop points against Stevenage.

Evatt feels his players have learned how to cope with the different types of opposition in League One and with half of the season now gone, given themselves an excellent chance of meeting their target of automatic promotion to the Championship.

“We have learned, evolved, the players have improved and still are improving,” he said.

“We know what we need to do on nights like this now, when to build, play and be expansive, but also when to utilise the front lads and play into good areas.

“There is no right or wrong way to win football matches but they are all about winning. This has been the last one of what I think has been a pretty good 2023.

“We’re at the halfway stage now and to be on 48 points is excellent. If we can replicate that in the second half of the season we’ll be promoted, that is the aim and ambition we have to focus on now.

“There is an awful lot of football to be played. We cannot think we have cracked it, this league is tough and unforgiving, people drop points left, right and centre. We have dropped points as well that we shouldn’t have done, had some poor performances, but we always have to focus on that next opportunity, and that’s Monday.”