GILLINGHAM boss Steve Evans remained magnanimous in victory against Wanderers, insisting the club’s survival was more important than three points.

Evans got his first shot at professional football with Bolton in the late seventies after being spotted in Glasgow by Ian Greaves – and though he never made a senior appearance at Burnden Park, has remained hugely supportive of Wanderers’ cause.

That remained the case yesterday as the former Leeds United manager refused to dwell long on a 5-0 result.

”We are pleased, we got three points but the winner is football today,” he said after the final whistle.

“The biggest win was the fact that Bolton Wanderers turned up on the team coach, with new owners, and got rid of some people that shouldn’t really be running football clubs, in my opinion, from a distance.

“They turned up, were backed by good support. They got Jack Hobbs in, he made them stronger, but I think you are a little apprehensive on the sides when you have four or five chances and don’t take one.

“Once the first goal went in the quality of play came through and they were probably fortunate that it was only five and not 15, it certainly could have been double figures. The Bolton goalkeeper (Remi Matthews) was tremendous, along with his colleague infront of him. Bolton Wanderers can be proud of those young men.

“We want these clubs to survive and the downside is that Bury Football Club are not with us.

“It was important for our strategy to get a win (on Saturday) and equally it was important for football that Bolton Wanderers turned up.

“At one stage we weren’t sure whether they would or not because we didn’t know if they were going to survive. It was a sad state of affairs but thankfully they did.”