WANDERERS have been urged to make their attacking quality count against Newport County.

After drawing a blank on the opening two weekends of the League Two campaign, Ian Evatt is looking to his front men to provide a much-needed confidence booster when the Exiles visit the UniBol.

The Whites head coach saw improvement in defeat against Colchester United last time out, hailing his side’s performance as the best since he walked through the doors from Barrow in the summer.

But he recognises the need to start taking chances – and is looking towards one of the division’s most high-profile attacks to give Wanderers’ season lift-off.

“I think if we can get that first goal it might settle us down a bit,” he told The Bolton News. “It might take a little bit of pressure off, gives us some space to breathe.

“I’ve said before that I think we’re trying too hard at times. But we are creating good opportunities and I have got no doubt whatsoever that the goals will come.

“There were massive signs of improvement there. Things are not going our way at the moment but they will if we play like that. We will win a lot more games than we lose.”

Evatt’s words were echoed by defender Gethin Jones, who has felt his team need to nudge in front in order to allow their best football to flow.

“We have the quality on the pitch but I do think it’s about getting the first goal. We do that, and I think we’ll roll teams over,” he said.

“If we can be that little bit more clinical in front of goal, it’ll be all good.”

The numbers back-up Jones and Evatt’s concern.

Over the opening two games in League Two, Wanderers have had 19 shots on goal but put just four on target; only Oldham, Southend and Tranmere have registered fewer.

Meanwhile, analysis of the last decade’s results in this division suggest Bolton will need to get their skates on if they are to claim an automatic promotion spot.

There may be 44 more games to go but the past 10 seasons no team who has failed to win one of their opening three league encounters has gone on to take a top three spot.

Only one team – Plymouth Argyle – have lost both of their opening two games and still gone on to be promoted automatically.

Derek Adams’ side had current Bolton skipper Antoni Sarcevic in their ranks when they went up in third in the 2016/17 season.

Perfect starts are also surprisingly rare among the teams who have been successful in League Two over the last decade. Of the 30 automatically promoted clubs, only eight won both of their opening games.