IAN Evatt reckons Conor Bradley was targeted for rough treatment by Barnsley in the play-off first leg – but has backed him to come out fighting on Friday night.

Not for the first time this season Liverpool loanee Bradley was levelled in the opening few minutes, collecting three fouls in the opening 10 minutes of Saturday’s game – none of which were punished by a yellow card.

Now, with Wanderers needing to win at Oakwell to reach the final at Wembley, Evatt has challenged the Northern Ireland international to make his class count on the night.

Asked about the flurry of early fouls on Bradley, Evatt told The Bolton News: “I think that was the plan. I don’t think it happened by chance or coincidence.

“I have just had the same conversation with Conor. He has to take that as a compliment and rise above it. People are picking him out as a very, very good player, which he is.

“There were different things we could have done better on Saturday. Tactically, we can tweak to make sure that Conor is more involved in this game.”

Wanderers have used Bradley as a regular outlet on the right this season and his link-up with the wider centre-half have been productive.

More than 40 per cent of Bolton’s attacks this season have come from Bradley’s wing, as opposed to the central or left side of the pitch. But Evatt was delighted to see his team switch their focus in the first leg, giving left wing-back Randell Williams the chance to create the equalising goal for Dion Charles.

“I think Conor has had a huge responsibility on him, and for long periods with Gethin Jones or Eoin Toal on that side there has been a natural overlap and under-lap,” Evatt said.

“We want to replicate that on the other side and it hasn’t always been the case this season but I think we can do that – and for the last half an hour of Saturday we saw Randell get in some good one-v-one positions and crossing the ball like we know he can.

“I think there has been a progression with him and he is improving with every game. I want him to nail down the consistency of those moments, not just have them sporadically.

“Declan (John) is also really good in that type of scenario, so that switch of play can really benefit us.”

Evatt felt nervousness had affected Wanderers in the first leg, especially given the previous night’s emphatic result between Peterborough United and Sheffield Wednesday.

Posh had effectively wrapped up their place in the final after 90 minutes with a 4-0 victory and the Whites boss reckons his players became more reticent to take risks in possession, so as not to blow their chance.

The mood has been upbeat in the build-up to the second leg – but Evatt joked that he had thought exactly the same a week earlier.

He said: “Maybe if I say the opposite, we look terrified and nervous, hopefully they will relax?

“Honestly, I think they are in a good place. They were frustrated with the first half and know they can do more and give more.

“The huge positive for me is that everything I have read and heard is that Barnsley were brilliant and we were awful. That is great because the score was still 1-1.

“Hopefully we can get more towards our level on Friday and see how the game ends up.”