'No excuses' - Why Wigan Athletic clash acts as League One promotion benchmark for Bolton Wanderers

Ian Evatt believes Bolton Wanderers face a benchmark in where they stand for promotion out of League One in the future when they take on Wigan Athletic tomorrow and will be an indication of how far they have come as a team.

Wanderers make the short journey to the DW Stadium to take on the Latics this weekend in League One.

The 12.30pm kick-off sees automatic promotion chasing Wigan take on a Bolton side sitting midtable and with slim play-off hopes.

READ MORE: Bolton Wanderers boss Ian Evatt on Wigan Athletic & setting record straight after 'embarrassed' loss

And Wanderers will be seeking to avenge the heavy 4-0 loss they suffered at the hands of Leam Richardson's side in October as the Latics will be seeking to do the double over the Whites.

The game is a local derby and some 4,000 Wanderers fans will be making the journey to the DW Stadium tomorrow as Wanderers seek to keep their play-off hopes alive.

Wigan are well placed to achieve automatic promotion back to the Championship after two seasons in League One and Evatt believes taking on the Latics will be a good indication of where his side currently stands as they aim to follow in their neighbours' footsteps, especially since the transformation of the squad in the January transfer window.

Evatt said: "Take away the rivalry and the local derby. It is a benchmark for us at the moment because they are in the automatic promotion positions and that is where we want to get to.

"It is a good marker of how far we have come since January, a great test and no excuses this time. We have got a fully fit squad more or less, lots of good players and we will be ready.

"We have worked really well this week. We have tweaked one or two things, looking at ways we can hurt them, and