WANDERERS are doing it the hard way… But they are doing it.

Ian Evatt’s side carved out another hard fought three points at Salford City to give themselves a four-point cushion in the automatic promotion places in League Two.

Bolton have now registered 15 of their 20 wins this season by a solitary goal and though that has caused a few palpitations in both the dugout and among the thousands of supporters watching back at home, Evatt has been able to bank on one of the division’s most effective defences.

“To be honest, our play sometimes deserves more goals,” he said. “Sometimes we feel like we should be taking it a bit easier on the side of the pitch. But it’s just not our way at the moment.

“We defended so well (against Salford) to get another clean sheet.

“I don’t think they created too much other than one chance first half. I’m really pleased and I’m proud of the players.”

Lloyd Isgrove’s goal proved the decisive strike on a night where good chances were spurned by both sides.

“I thought we should have scored three or four before Lloyd’s goal,” Evatt said. “I think Kieran Lee tackled Doyler for the miss at the back post and normally Doyler puts them away and he will in future games, but we didn’t panic.

“Like Newport, we kept going and we got the goal in the end and then after that we deserved to win purely for the effort, desire, commitment and the way we defended as a team.”

The Wanderers dressing room was in buoyant mood on Tuesday night – with Gethin Jones admitting after the final whistle that the post-match dancing took nearly as much out of the players as the 90 minutes itself.

But Evatt was keen to remind players that another big test awaits this weekend when the Whites travel to face relegation-threatened Grimsby.

“The place was absolutely bouncing and rightly so,” he said of the away dressing room. “It’s tough to win games and tough to win at places like this.

"They were all in tonight, they had a real go at us and tried to win the game and we had to stand up and be counted and a lot of effort has gone into that game.

"We’ll enjoy these victories but tomorrow we switch on for Grimsby.”