IAN Evatt admits an “Amazonian” pitch at Chorley left him questioning his decision to play a first team friendly at Victory Park.

Wanderers emerged with a comfortable 3-1 win against the National League North side but struggled to get their passing game going on a dry surface with long grass.

The conditions were a disappointment to Evatt and his staff, and though the Bolton boss conceded that his players had not looked nearly as sharp as they had a few days earlier against Longridge Town, he said after the game that he would have to “choose his words wisely” with regard to the conditions.

“I am just a little bit frustrated,” he said. “I try to pay local clubs respect by bringing the first team. They ask me to bring the first team, I bring the first team – all of our best players.

“Our fans come in their numbers, as they always do, paying hard-earned money.

“But it is a two-way street and if they want us to keep coming back then they have to give us something in return. It can’t all be the same direction and I feel today it has all been in one direction, so maybe we will have to monitor what we do next season.

“I understand dry pitches, absolutely. I understand not watering it. But when it becomes Amazonian, it is frustrating. And it is a frustration of mine because as I said, as a football club we are trying to do everything right.

“We bring our best players, we want to help these local teams – of course we do. Our fans again showed great loyalty and respect by coming to watch us play at one of the local clubs that we are trying to help and build relationships.

“But please don’t take advantage of that is what I am trying to say. Please show that the same respect as what we are showing you, and I don’t think we have been given that today.

“The players have learned valuable lessons, it is some more mileage in the legs, we have found a way to win. So overall, I’m relatively happy.”

Dion Charles, Jon Dadi Bodvarsson and Elias Kachunga gave Wanderers a 3-0 lead before former Bolton striker Connor Hall grabbed a consolation at the bitter end.

Wanderers had looked bright in patches for the first half but as the game slowed to a crawl after half-time, Evatt’s frustration was clear.

“I said to the players before the game, at times this season when we go away from home, we are going to be challenged. Most of it is challenging mentally,” he told us.

“Everything we want to do and be… It will be difficult when you turn up and the conditions are how they are.

“But there are also things that we can get out of it as well. We are going to have to get over that mental block. We are going to go to places where things aren’t going to be how we want them to be and then we have to find a way to win. We have done that today, there is no denying that.

“I think first half was a lot better than second half. I think, especially when teams sit off in a low block and you can’t move the ball quickly, it is challenging and again we have to find a way. A set-play was pleasing second half. But the players, especially the ones second half, look fatigued and tired. We have worked them so hard.

“Yesterday was three sessions again, but we will see the benefits of that. We have had a good week with two solid wins and now we are going to have to progress to better opposition and see improvements.”

Wanderers took off George Johnston in the first half, replacing him with youngster Lamine Toure, but Evatt confirmed it was only a precautionary measure.

“It was just a really tight hamstring. No injury there, just lots of hard work and lots of fatigue. It is important we don’t take risks at this stage,” he added.