Shola Shoretire, a loanee from Manchester United, earned praise from Bolton boss Ian Evatt when he gave the Trotters a winning start to their preparation for the Sky Bet League One play-offs.
The 19-year-old scored his first goal as a senior to help Bolton defeat Bristol Rovers 3-2 at the Memorial Stadium, setting them up to face Barnsley in the play-off semifinal with confidence.
"I think Shola is a very talented player, and while I'm happy that he's now off to a good start with us, I'm sure there's lots more to come," said Evatt.
Since moving to Bolton, he's had a bit of a stop-start career, but scoring his first senior goal for us will be a huge lift for him.As a young player, you will always have highs and lows because this is his first prolonged experience playing senior football and his first loan away from Manchester United.The important thing is that he has put his head down and worked hard, and he can have an influence in the play-offs. He started off wonderfully with us after joining on loan in January.
Midway through the first half, Shoretire gave Bolton the lead with a tap-in, and even though Luca Hoole quickly tied the score, Bolton's supremacy prevailed after that.
After Shoretire hobbled out due to cramp, Daniel Nlundulu, a loanee from Southampton, restored Bolton's lead with a 20-yard drive, and then Aaron Morley netted with a lovely side-footed effort from outside the box.
John Marquis, a Rovers sub, scored from close range late in the game to set up a dramatic finish. Scott Sinclair's injury-time goal hit the crossbar, but Bolton held on, much to Evatt's delight.
"The squad is in a good place, the players have lots of confidence, and I have a massive amount of belief in them," Evatt continued.
We must demonstrate our abilities in the playoffs, but I believe we are now reaching a boiling point just in time.We've been working incredibly hard behind the scenes, so we'll be prepared for the play-offs.
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