What happens when Wanderers are taken out of their comfort zone? Well, we might well find out at Cheltenham tonight.

There can be no doubt that things are running smoothly for Ian Evatt and his side at present. Consistent form has pushed the Whites into the top six and unprecedented competition for places within the squad leaves the Bolton boss with plenty to think about on the coach journey down to Gloucestershire.

Bolton coasted to victory on lush, green, home turf against Lincoln on Saturday, without the need to be at their very best. Evatt notes, however, that a wet Tuesday night at the Robins’ bijou Whaddon Road home will be a Completely (Suzuki) different proposition altogether.

The original game had been planned for September 10 and postponed out of respect for the death of Queen Elizabeth II. At the time Cheltenham were third bottom with one win from their first seven games – a situation which has improved drastically in the last few weeks.

Wade Elliott’s team has been weakened with the loss of key striker – and all-time leading scorer – Alfie May, but Evatt reckons Bolton will have to show a different side to their make-up in what could be the first real acid test of their durability as promotion contenders.

“I don’t think there’s ever an ideal time to go and play at Cheltenham,” he told The Bolton News.

“It is a really challenging fixture for us. The pitch is compact, we can’t be our normal expansive selves, there just isn’t the room or space. We have to find a different way.

“But that’s the big challenge for us. The nitty gritty of the season is starting to take place now and we have to find a way to win these away games if we want to be anywhere near where we think we can be.

“It’s the away form that will define our season, I really think that. Our home form will take care of itself. We have a massive, wonderful fanbase, fantastic facilities and pitch, it is what happens when we go away and don’t have all those things that will really make the difference. We need to find a way to win.”

It is 22 years since Cheltenham first climbed out of the Conference under Steve Cotterill, after which they briefly dipped back into non-league football in 2015/16 but have recently been on an upward trajectory which defies their relatively modest resources.

They beat Wanderers to the League Two title in 2020/21 and then achieved their highest-ever league finish of 15th last season under Michael Duff, who has since moved on to Barnsley.

Cheltenham now stand as a vanguard for clubs looking to establish themselves at league level, a narrow route from the National League which continues to provide the toughest challenge in English football.

Evatt knows it only too well, having taken Barrow up as champions before his arrival at Bolton.

He believes the promotion route – which now stands at one automatic spot and another via the play-offs – should be expanded to reflect the standard of the football played outside the top four divisions.

“I have a huge respect for the National League, it’s where I started my managerial career and I’ll never forget where I came from,” he said.

“The level of the football, the coaching and the players that are feeding down and through the system has increased so much.

“I think there should be more opportunities, I really do, but this is football and unfortunately there is always that air of self-preservation. It is down to the Football League clubs to vote that in, and everyone wants to preserve their own status and not put that at risk.

“I would love to think it would happen. I think it would be good for the game if it happened. But do I think it will any time soon? I don’t.”

Wanderers will make a return trip down the M5 on Saturday when they meet another former National League side, Forest Green.

Evatt is in no doubt that regulating the number of promotion and relegation slots down the Football League and into the fifth tier would be the ‘fair’ thing to do, or that there is enough quality at that level of football to improve standards overall.

“I always keep an eye on the league and some of the crowds this weekend were incredible – nine-and-a-half thousand at Oldham v Wrexham, seven-and-a-half at Chesterfield and Maidenhead, big money is being spent,” he said.

“You have good coaches working in the National League – Phil Parkinson, Paul Cook – they are serious football people.

“I believe for the game, more opportunity needs to be given to National League sides to progress, for fairness as much as anything else.

“As we all know, politics in football often takes over. But I know first-hand how tough that is to get promotion, and that there are some very good clubs and players at that level of football.”