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Ian Evatt says losing Paris Maghoma to injury against Oxford was “frustrating” – but admitted there was so much more wrong with Wanderers on the day.
The Brentford loanee has been a key figure for the Whites in recent months but needed treatment following a strong challenge during the opening minutes.
Maghoma – who might now have played his last game for Bolton - soldiered on but eventually had to make way for Kyle Dempsey in the second half. He was spotted on crutches after the final whistle.
“Obviously, that tackle in the first minute or two, he injured his ankle,” Evatt told The Bolton News.
“It was frustrating to lose him but I thought Kyle at least gave us energy and intensity. The way we were, we would have struggled to get Paris into the game anyway.
“It was tough, these decisions are tough. We were trying to change things from the side to give us some life and energy, but nothing seemed to happen.
“Every time we fixed one leak, there was another one that appeared. There was so much wrong with that performance, there is a lot of soul searching to be done.”
The Wanderers chief gave Oxford credit for an “excellent” performance on the big stage but says the result is much tougher to take given his own side were so far off their usual standards.
“I can’t even begin to think about the summer or next season at the moment. I need to reflect and think about things, starting with myself,” he added.
“Then I can look at what we do moving forwards. Today is a day to hurt, to wonder how we can be so off-colour and so unrecognisable. At the moment, I don’t have the answers.
“There was so much wrong today and that is where my initial thoughts are. It was just unrecognisable - people who have watched our team all season and witnessed some of our performances.
“I can cope with losing and give them great credit because I thought they were excellent on the day.
“I can cope with it if we look like us but today it just didn’t, from minute one really. That is bitterly disappointing.”
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