Factor which cost Bolton Wanderers play-offs chance pinpointed as Sheffield Wednesday target set

Ian Evatt believes the spate of injuries in the final three months of 2021 is what has ultimately cost Bolton Wanderers the chance of reaching the League One play-offs this season but believes there is nothing but positivity at the Whites as the club moves in the right direction.

Wanderers sit 11th in the third tier of English football and achieved promotion to the division last season from League Two.

They sit 12 points from the top six with only five matches of their season left to go. Realistically with only a handful of games left and the number of sides in the mix, their hopes of being in the play-offs this campaign are essentially over.

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Wanderers went through an injury crisis in the final quarter of 2021 which saw a host of first-team regulars on the treatment table including Amadou Bakayoko, MJ Williams, Josh Sheehan, Gethin Jones, Lloyd Isgrove, and Eoin Doyle all out for various stages.

It led to Wanderers at times not being able to name a complete bench of seven substitutes and youth team players had to be drafted in to make up the numbers.

Evatt believes that stage of the season and the accompanying poor run of form which followed has been what has ultimately cost Wanderers their chance of achieving back to back promotions this campaign.

Wanderers have been hit with another glut of injuries with Dapo Afolayan, Ricardo Santos and Kyle Dempsey all suffering hamstring problems in the 1-1 draw against Portsmouth, with the trio to be assessed ahead of this weekend's hosting of Sheffield Wednesday.

But the Wanderers boss is adamant it is nothing but positivity at Wanderers and the prospect of a top 10 finish