Evatt | Everyone Has A Part To Play

Evatt

Ian Evatt has emphasised the role that everyone inside the Toughsheet Community Stadium has to play in Saturday afternoon’s top-of-the-table clash.

Wanderers take on Portsmouth in a game that has the potential to provide season defining outcomes for both sides in the race for promotion.

And with a crowd of over 25,000 expected, the boss wants to make it as intimidating as possible for the visiting league leaders.

“Everyone has a part to play," he said.

"I’ve seen some of the Bruce Rioch quotes from the Wolves' game and the atmosphere that was created that day. All I can do is re-emphasise those words.

"I thought they were really poignant words, and we can use them on Saturday to motivate this stadium and give ourselves an advantage in any way, shape or form.

“That starts with the players but if we can create a really intimidating, raucous atmosphere then it makes it even more challenging for the opposition.

“I said on the first day of pre-season that if we’re going to achieve anything then we’ll need to do it together, and that still stands today.

"We need everybody, not just the 11 who are playing. If we can create that atmosphere, the players will thrive off it."
Ian Evatt
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Midweek results elsewhere means that the race for automatic promotion is back in Wanderers’ hands, with four wins from four guaranteeing a place in the top two.

So with Ian Evatt’s men being able to control their own destiny, the Whites' Manager says it is down to them to go and make it happen.

“We’ll take some comfort that it’s back in our own hands because you want to own your own destiny and we’ve got that capability now," he said.

“This league never ceases to amaze me and on any given day, anyone can beat anyone. We have four, tough games to go and it starts with the toughest of all against Portsmouth - which we’re excited by and the occasion that it brings with the atmosphere from both sets of supporters.

"We’re still in there fighting and we’ve got a great chance and I think we’d have all snapped your hands off for this at the start of the season.

“Now it’s down to us to go and make it happen."

Last week’s win away at Bristol Rovers put Wanderers onto the 81 point mark - equalling the points tally for last season with four games remaining.

And whilst proud of Wanderers’ continued progression, Evatt is well aware that the end to the season is, ultimately, what will define the campaign.

“One thing that I’m proud of is that, as a football club, we’ve progressed each and every year," he said.

"We’re on the same points as last year with four games to go and we’ve been in an automatic promotion race virtually the entire season, but we know that all of those hard yards will go to waste if we don’t get this club into the Championship in the next few weeks."

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Three of the Whites’ final four games will take place on home soil before visiting Peterborough on the final day. 

As everyone knows, there is no such thing as an easy three points or a guaranteed win. However Wanderers will be able to take confidence from having an exceptional home record so far this season as they take on a side with just four league losses to their name throughout the campaign.

“Our home record, on points per game, in the best in the division, so playing at home is a good place for us to be," Evatt admitted. 

"But it doesn’t get much tougher than Saturday, especially with them now knowing what they can achieve - which is the title and promotion.

“So they’ll be motivated but so will we. We have a lot to play for. The other two home games will be focused on when we get to them, for now it’s all about Saturday."

After a somewhat turbulent season on the injury front, Evatt is finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel as a number of his players are set to return to action and give him more options heading into the season finale.

“In terms of that, we’ve had a really good week. We had some good news and images of the injuries we picked up on Saturday so I have no doubt that Ricardo (Almeida Santos), Josh (Sheehan) will be ok. Dion (Charles) should be available, Gethin (Jones) is back and Dan Nlundulu is back so we’ve got a good squad to choose from."

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