Bolton Wanderers boss Ian Evatt expects a backlash against Stockport

With some local pride at stake, the Bolton boss believes Dave Challinor and his team will have every motivation to bounce back quickly after a humbling result.

Evatt watched his on-loan midfielder Aaron Morley score one and score two of the five goals at Edgeley Park, but he knows first-hand that fortunes can quickly change.

“I was there on Tuesday and we took part in a similar performance in the Huddersfield game and since then we have had a huge response and made quite a good run in the competition,” he said.

“I expect a huge response from Stockport. The atmosphere will be different. Sometimes there are those late-night games during the week against a side that doesn't necessarily go over well with the fans – and that's no disrespect to Wycombe, it's a long way and it's midweek – but it will be buzzing again on Saturday. It is a local derby, there is a bit of play and history in it, I would expect a much tougher opponent than Wycombe.”

Challinor, who has helped Stockport to two promotions in three years to fight their way out of the National League, said on Tuesday evening he would be criticized after the heavy defeat.

And while Evatt will ultimately hope to make his counterpart's week even worse, he believes the 'thick skin' Challinor discussed after the match is a quality most managers need to develop.

“It is tough, a very difficult job, but we choose to do it,” he said.

“If we stop enjoying it, it's time to stop doing it.

“It is impossible to keep everyone happy, that is also a social thing, but especially in football it has become a lot worse in recent years.

“Dave will feel how I felt after Huddersfield, and I listened to his interview after the match and I thought it was excellent, very honest. He's a good guy, Dave, and he knows what he's doing.

“You have bad times and it's how you respond to them that determines who you are as a person, as a character and as a leader. I think he wants to take charge in the coming days and I expect a very different Stockport County this weekend.”

Wanderers have won six of their last eight games to move to sixth in the table, and Evatt is pleased to have been able to pick up points with different formations, both home and away.

“With this new system, we have managed to adapt and overcome,” he said. “We were 3-4-3 at times and then switch back to 3-5-2 when necessary.

“We found some confidence and momentum and found ourselves a little bit again. We know what we want to look like as a team.

“We want to be intense, aggressive, energetic and dominate possession where we can, when we can. We are also humble enough to know that this cannot happen in every match.”