Ian Evatt is delighted by Amadou Bakayoko's start to life at the University of Bolton Stadium. The Sierra Leonean striker opened his account on the opening day and had a huge influence on the club's surprise League Cup victory over Barnsley, Evatt told The Bolton News.

The Trotters were on the hunt to find a player who could take some of the goalscoring burden off of Eoin Doyle's shoulders for their first campaign back in League One, in Bakayoko they seem to have found the perfect player. The 25-year-old is two games off 150 appearances in the division and has demonstrated his class at the level in his first two displays.

Evatt said: "He’s a great example to the young players, how to train every day and what you do on the pitch.

"He is just a handful to play against, but what I will say is his technical ability is undervalued as well.

"He can hold the play up, he can link play, some lovely bits of link up play in the second half (against Barnsley) and because he is so physically dominant, the ball doesn’t come straight back and it is able to stay up there." he added.

Bakayoko turned out 17 times for Coventry City last term before being told he were surplus to requirements this summer and moved to Bolton on a free transfer, shrewd business from the Trotters considering his experience in League One.

The Verdict

The signs are incredibly positive with this transfer so far, Bakayoko compliments the Bolton attacking contingent very nicely adding a point of difference in the side.

His combination play with the likes of Eoin Doyle and Antoni Sarcevic will only improve the more they play together, the worries over consolidating their League One status this term will have been put on the back burner after back to back refreshingly good performances from Evatt's men.

Next up they travel to Mark Robinson's AFC Wimbledon, the Wombles' first competitive home match with fans, an intimidating proposition but one that with the belief and confidence Bolton have built over the first two encounters, they can rise to.