Bolton caretaker boss Julian Darby said he had to change his plans after being caught by surprise when the team sheets dropped before Tuesday’s 3-1 win over Northampton.
Darby, who’s in interim charge following Ian Evatt’s departure, was expecting Tom Eaves to start up front for the Cobblers but instead Cameron McGeehan partnered Sam Hoskins in attack.
George Thomason fired Bolton ahead after just three minutes at the Toughsheet Community Stadium but Liam Shaw quickly levelled, however Town’s midfielder then scored an own goal before Aaron Collins rubber-stamped all three points with an emphatic late third.
“We had to dig in,” said Darby. “When we got the team sheets it was totally different to what we expected. We thought Tom Eaves would start because every video we’ve seen has him up front and they get the ball up to him and play off him.
“All of a sudden they had two smaller guys up front so that was a slight change and it wasn’t pretty, especially second half, but the lads dug in and they showed spirit because things haven’t been going fantastically.
“We stuck at it in the second half and then Aaron pulls something out of the bag. What a finish. They were never going to come back into it at 3-1 and you’d take a few of those between now and the end of the season.
“There’ll be times when we play much better and get nothing but that’s what happens in any season. Three points is three points.”
