IAN Evatt says his players should celebrate a landmark win against Peterborough United – but just for the journey home!

The Wanderers boss had to keep his own feet nailed to the floor after an enthralling performance against Peterborough United, and the biggest away win since Sam Allardyce’s team announced themselves on to the Premier League stage with a five-star victory at Leicester City in 2001.

Dion Charles scored a hat-trick and Ricardo Santos broke his scoring duck by grabbing two against his former club on a day when everything went right.

Evatt had to keep a semblance of calm as he summed up the result.

“It was a really good performance and we spoke at length this morning about our processes and that process equates to good performances and good performances equal good results,” he said. “Our work today was super against a really good team who caused us problems at times.

“We were clinical in the final third and the energy we found to run past their players was superb but we cannot get carried away, we have got another tough game on Tuesday night.

“I said to the players, enjoy the journey back home but the minute they get off the bus they switch back on because MK Dons becomes a massive game.”

Even at 5-0, Evatt kept on top of his players, barking instruction from the side of the pitch.

“I wanted us to keep a clean sheet, be professional, keep the work ethic, and stay humble because that is what good teams do,” he said.

“They did that, and at times they looked tired and fatigued, but you have to put a lot into a game like that, especially out of possession.”

More than 1,700 supporters had made the trip, every one of them staying behind to cheer the players off the pitch after a memorable day on which the club played their 5,000th league game.

“I am delighted for the fans because they have been through so much,” he said. “Five thousand games is an incredible achievement and we’d spoken to the players about it again, we didn’t want this to be remembered as anything other than a victory.

“This was our chance to leave a tiny footprint in the history of this football club, and they have done it. I am really proud of them.”

Wanderers have little time to digest the result, with MK Dons coming to the University of Bolton Stadium on Tuesday night.

Evatt says that presents a challenge to him and the coaching staff over the next few days.

“MK Dons is now going to be a difficult game because the players are understandably high and it’s our job to keep them grounded and focused to take on the job at hand on Tuesday,” he said.

“All we can do is keep the positive reinforcement in our messaging. I want them to enjoy it because it is difficult to win football matches and especially the way we have won them today. That’s great, and we will have a nice journey home but the minute we step off the coach it’s full focus on MK Dons on Tuesday.”