Bolton Wanderers v Exeter City - The Big Match Preview

Calm, calculated victory against Blackpool on November 11 was arguably Bolton’s most complete performance of the season to date.

The Whites who had moved onto the shoulder of Oxford United in second spot, and lay just a point behind leaders Portsmouth, might well have been better served if the hiatus had been delayed a few weeks and their game at Cambridge United gone ahead.

Seven straight wins and five straight clean sheets in all competitions represents their best run under Ian Evatt, their best run of any kind since gaining promotion from this division under Phil Parkinson in 2016/17. And an eighth win would put them level with the achievements of Phil Neal’s class of 1990/91, which was in the middle of a club record 23-game unbeaten streak.

Based purely on recent form, Saturday’s game against Exeter City seems straightforward. The Grecians have lost nine of their last 11 games in all competitions and had it not been for a flying start – which saw them win five of their first eight and top the league, they would be cast adrift in the relegation zone.

Bolton old boy Will Aimson battles with Derby County's Nathaniel Mendez-Laing (Image: PA)

The club, captained by Bolton old boy Will Aimson, have lost their last four games away from home, conceding 12 goals in the process.

Manager Gary Caldwell has been publicly backed by the club’s directors and the Devon men, who have not scored more than a single goal in a league game since August.

The squad had a bonding session at a local pool hall last week but have found themselves behind the eight ball since selling top scorer Sam Nombe to Rotherham United on transfer deadline day and failing to find a replacement.

All of the above could be viewed as positive portents for a suitably rested Wanderers side which is starting to live up to their pre-season billing as promotion favourites.

The catch, however, is that Evatt’s team has proven somewhat sloppy on their return from international breaks on two occasions already this season.

On paper, April’s Papa Johns Trophy win against Plymouth at Wembley arrived just over a fortnight after their previous competitive match. In reality, Evatt organised a behind-closed-doors game against Rotherham United to keep his non-international players in game shape, which proved somewhat of a masterstroke in the end.

Since then, Wanderers have produced two rather erratic displays after resuming their league schedule – the first at crisis club Reading, a one-sided game that was somehow lost 2-1 with two goals conceded in the final 17 minutes after a slew of chances were wasted.

Dion Charles scores against Northampton Town after the last international break (Image: camerasport)

The second was a home victory against Northampton Town, the first of Bolton’s current streak.

Wanderers threatened to steamroll their recently promoted opponents in the first half, racing into a two-goal lead through Dion Charles and Randell Williams. But a puzzlingly low energy performance in the second half nearly let the Cobblers back in, and one wonders whether that will come into Evatt’s thought processes as he prepares for Exeter?

The majority of the international contingent come back well-rested, or as near as can be achieved with the travel involved.

Josh Sheehan did not feature for Wales, nor Zac Ashworth for the Welsh Under-21s. Carlos Mendes Gomes played 73 minutes on his debut for Guinea-Bissau against Djibouti, a game mercifully played 1,300 miles closer to the UK in Egypt.

Dion Charles and Eoin Toal both went the distance with Northern Ireland but returned buoyed from a win against Denmark that seemingly did both players’ confidence the world of good in a green shirt.

Every minute and mile travelled will be taken into consideration by Evatt, who will have drawn great encouragement from the win against Stockport County in which many of his other squad options pushed a strong claim for inclusion.

There are also two other league tests looming large on the horizon, either side of an FA Cup second round game at home to Harrogate Town. Trips to Oxford and Pompey look as pivotal as any games can be at this stage, and Wanderers will want to go to the Kassam and Fratton Park in the best possible shape.

Before the break, Bolton were showing all the hallmarks of a side that could compete at the top end of the table. Now recharged for the festive push we might see on Saturday what this team is really made of, and where it might end up?