TROTTERS ON A HIGH AFTER WILDSMITH HAS OFF DAY

IAN EVATT believes his Bolton side can take plenty of positives after seeing off one of the division’s promotion favourites.

- Oli Pieters

BOLTON W 2, Charles 43 (pen), Fornah 65 (og)

DERBY COUNTY 1, Hourihane 34 (pen)

Last season’s play-off semifinalists slumped to a 4-0 hammering by Wigan on their last home appearance.

And the Trotters have often flattered to deceive against supposed fancied teams.

But despite falling behind to Conor Hourihane’s 33rd-minute penalty, Wanderers hit back in a game that saw Derby reduced to ten men after keeper Joe Wildsmith’s dismissal.

Dion Charles scored an equalising spot-kick before the break to register his fifth goal in as many games. And after Wildsmith’s sending off after 48 minutes for handling a goal-bound Charles shot, the Trotters grabbed a 65th-minute winner when Josh Dacres-Cogley’s effort looped off Tyrese Fornah over substitute keeper Josh Vickers.

“For the first time we showed up against a direct competitor and played the way I know we can,” said boss Evatt.

“We started exactly how we should have done, but didn’t in the Wigan game.

“We were on the front foot, we were aggressive, we won duels, we played with tempo and we had them penned in for large periods.