IAN Evatt insists he has not written off the final two games of the season despite having to make provisions for the play-offs.

Wanderers require a big favour from Cambridge United on Saturday and a convincing win against Port Vale if they are going to stand a realistic chance of snatching second spot from Derby County.

Evatt said his club had to be “realistic” about their top two hopes after dropping points against Shrewsbury Town on Tuesday night, a game in which he also had to withdraw three key players – Ricardo Santos, Gethin Jones and Josh Sheehan – to save them from aggravating existing injuries.

Some saw that decision as a concession, magnified in the disappointment of a game in which Bolton once again paid for their profligacy in front of goal.

Evatt’s own comments have also attracted some criticism, with claims they could demotivate the squad with automatic promotion still mathematically possible.

But the Bolton boss has underlined that neither he, nor his players have surrendered, and though fitness issues have presented him with a balancing act in the final fortnight, his team are ready to push Derby all the way.

“I can only say so much,” he told The Bolton News. “I try and be as open and honest with you guys so you can share what I am thinking and add context, but I can’t share everything… I’d be here all day!

“The one thing I will say is I think about it all, I take information in from my staff who I trust implicitly, there is context behind the decision making, and I don’t get everything right either. I’m still a young manager and people forget that sometimes.

“I have had success but I am young and I do make mistakes. I’d like to think I have got more right than I have got wrong.

“Tuesday – did I want to change the team? No. Did I have to change the team? Yes.

“That is just the way it is, but I still back the players I put out there to win the game and we should have won that game.

“I’ve been in football all my life and I know that things can change in a heartbeat. We are still fighting for that automatic place – not writing anything off – but we are having to take a pragmatic longer-term view to make sure they are in optimal condition for the play-offs.”

Saturday’s opponents Port Vale need a result to ensure their fight against relegation goes into a final weekend and would be relegated if they fail to win and Burton take something from their home game against Reading.

Their precarious situation, Evatt admits, could make Darren Moore’s side dangerous opposition.

“The way Shrewsbury fought and ran you’d think it was pretty much the same,” he said. “We are expecting Port Vale to throw everything at us because it is a must-win game for them as well as us. That could suit us, we don’t know.”