Bolton Wanderers 7-0 Exeter City: Trotters thrash sorry Grecians to go top
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Bolton inflicted a biggest league defeat in 65 years on Exeter City
Bolton manager Ian Evatt said the "hard work starts now" as his side moved to the top of League One following their 7-0 thrashing of struggling Exeter.
Jack Iredale, Victor Adeboyejo and Paris Maghoma made it 3-0 before top scorer Dion Charles scored twice.
A dominant afternoon was completed with late goals from Kyle Dempsey and Daniel Nlundulu as Bolton took over top spot from Portsmouth, who were beaten by 4-0 by Blackpool.
"This is the best group I've worked with as a manager, professionally but also personally. The togetherness is exceptional but we've just said there, the hard work really starts now," Evatt told BBC Radio Manchester.
"We've finally got to top spot and things are only going to get harder from here and we need to go again and step up again.
"We're nowhere near the finished article there's lots of things we can improve on."
Evatt, who has been in charge since Wanderers were relegated to League Two in 2020, said the table position would only matter at the end of the season.
However, he hailed the performance as the "best and most fluid" he had seen since he took over.
"I know there's more to come. I can see it, the players were driving standards on a daily basis," he added.
"The group itself, not just the 11, the 18 and the ones outside of it are hungry and I see the hunger and desire."
Grecians boss Gary Caldwell went into the contest boosted by backing from club directors and owners, but in-form Wanderers handed the Scot a reality check with an eighth successive win in all competitions - their biggest of the campaign.
Evatt's side laboured for 34 minutes to break the deadlock against the early-season leaders of the third tier.
But when Iredale headed in from Charles' cross, the outcome was never in doubt.
Striker Adeboyejo doubled Bolton's lead before half-time, netting for the first time in two months.
Caldwell used defender Cheick Diabate as a striker but his services may have been better deployed in a more familiar position.
Maghoma made it 3-0 after 55 minutes before Northern Ireland international Charles took over.
His 12th and 13th league goals of the season came 11 minutes apart while substitutes Dempsey and Nlundulu completed the rout late on.
Match details supplied by PA Media
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