DESPITE experiencing the Monday morning from hell yesterday, Ian Evatt is not about to let Wanderers start moping around.

Circumstances conspired that the Bolton boss lost two first-choice wing-backs within a couple of hours of each other on the eve of his side’s trip to Exeter City.

Luton Town recalled Peter Kioso just days after their manager, Nathan Jones, had pledge to leave him on loan at the UniBol for the rest of the season.

And to add injury to insult, new signing Declan John pulled up in the last two minutes of training with a suspected tear in his hamstring, ruling him out of action for up to a month.

Evatt is determined not to allow any negative thoughts to creep in ahead of tonight’s game at St James Park, and what he feels has been a hugely rewarding 10 days on the training ground since the Crawley defeat.

“What they have done has been exceptional,” he told The Bolton News.

“Yes this is frustrating. Football is challenging but this is the life of a manager. You have to adapt and overcome.

“We have got Gethin and Harry, who have both had to do jobs on the left-hand side but don’t forget that their natural position is right-back and wing-back.

“Gethin, before he got injured at the start of the season, was one of our most consistent players. Harry has come in and done exceptionally well as well.

“As good a player as Peter is, if there is one position we could afford to lose, that was it.”

Luton’s decision to recall Kioso was triggered by an injury to full-back James Bree sustained in their FA Cup victory against Reading on Saturday.

Wanderers had been expecting to keep the 21-year-old beyond January but Evatt has not ruled out the possibility of bringing him back should the Hatters’ options improve in a couple of weeks.

“I’d spoken to Nathan (Jones) on Friday and he was more than happy for him to stay,” Evatt added. “He knows he was doing well. He trusts me. He was in a good environment at a very good football club, but as you know, football changes and changes fast.

“One of their players has gone down with Covid, they thought he’d be okay but I understand that he’s struggling with a bit of long Covid so he’s struggling to breathe when he’s exercising.

“Then another one got injured, so he’s left with one, and unfortunately for us, Peter is their player and it is their right.

“We thank Nathan and Luton for letting us have him in the first place and hopefully if he becomes available late in the window again because someone recovers, hopefully they put us first in their minds to take him back.”