IAN Evatt was glad to see two of his strikers grab their first goals of the season in the 3-2 victory at Barrow in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy.

John McAtee and Aaron Collins scored in the second half at Holker Street before Kyle Dempsey added a third in an entertaining opening group fixture.

There were downsides to the night – Evatt was upset that his side conceded the opening goal to Sam Foley from a set piece, and Jordi Osei-Tutu was taken off injured in the first half.

But the Bolton boss was generally pleased with the way the night went against his former club.

“I think we had control and dominance first half we just didn’t end our actions enough,” he said. “We got into the final third loads of times but we were just a bit loose at the top end.

“I think sometimes players drift in and out of confidence and the lads at the top end are trying to find some confidence, rhythm and belief.

“We were disappointed to concede from a set play again. They were dangerous on transition and on set plays, that was about it really, and we didn’t deal with it well. We didn’t deal with it well because Saturday we conceded from two set plays and tonight a set play, that is not like us because we have tightened up a lot. We need to do some more work on that.

“We got there in the end, a knock down from the keeper and followed it in well. Everyone sighed and thought ‘so we can score goals!’ It becomes easy to forget. We scored a lot of goals last season and I think we will score a lot this season too, it is not as though we are not creating chances. We had 21 shots to their six against Exeter on Saturday and everyone makes out it was an awful performance, it wasn’t.

“We just have to stay calm, stay focussed and we will get better. I think that’s seven games this season and if you include the penalty shoot-out we have won four of them. So it isn’t awful but we know it needs to be better and we will work hard to make things better.”

Collins improved in the second half to spear-head the comeback, having hit the crossbar with a crucial chance against Exeter at the weekend.

Evatt hopes that the Welshman can now kick on as a result.

“He is a quality player and I think all the forward players at the moment are not quite in form,” the manager said. “Hopefully that can kickstart Aaron’s season, he was disappointed to miss that big chance on Saturday and it is not like him, really, he is normally clinical in those moments.

“Tonight will do him the world of good and I am really pleased for them all. We were down to 11 senior players with the internationals away and I thought their attitude was first class. We deserved to win the game.”

On Osei-Tutu’s injury, Evatt hoped the problem would not be a major one. The wing-back walked back on to the team bus under his own steam after a first half collision with Junior Tenisiala.

“We are hopeful it is nothing too serious,” he said. “He had quite a nasty knee injury last season when he was on loan in the Greek Premier League. When he fell over he jarred it in the ground a little bit, I think he scared himself. I think it is nothing too serious.”