HE is feeling the benefit – but Harry Brockbank admits training has been murder with Wanderers of late!

Ian Evatt gave his players little respite on the training ground during their recent 10-day hiatus between League Two games, using the time to try and bed down some new tactical ideas for the second half of the season.

Part of that, Brockbank explained, involved the high-intensity drill made famous by Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa.

“We did a lot of Murderball – so it was quite a tough 10 days, I promise.

“The time gave us a chance to work on 4-3-3 and it helped a lot. The last 10 minutes of the Exeter game felt like Murderball, just constant ‘we attack, they attack’.

“But you do feel the benefit. For the last 20 minutes I felt like we were the team who would go on and win it, and that is down to the fitness levels and the work we’re doing on the training ground.”

Evatt believes his players’ conditioning can be a big factor this term and the stats show that only Forest Green and Newport have scored more goals in the last 15 minutes of games.

At the other end, only Exeter and Tranmere can match Bolton’s defensive record of two goals conceded between the 75th and 90th minute.

Tuesday night’s game was another example of where Wanderers took time to get into their stride but very nearly nicked three points at the death.

“It’s frustrating at the moment that it is taking us to go a goal down to start playing our football,” Brockbank said. “We need to start brighter, get on the front foot, and we can put teams to bed.

“I think even when we went a goal down (against Exeter) I didn’t think we were ever going to lose the game.

“Doyler had the chance for us in the first half and I didn’t feel they were creating that much against us at the time. When the goal went in it was disappointing, but I still didn’t feel we were going to lose it.

“We had that spell of about 20 minutes in the second half where we could have nicked two or three.

“What we need to do is try and play that way more consistently through games and then the wins will come, I’m sure.”