Ex-Peterborough United defender is now a 'monster' and Bolton Wanderers manager reveals the tactics that did for Posh

Santos endured a tough time at London Road after stepping into the Football League from Thurrock in 2014.

But he is now an imposing central defender at one of the biggest clubs in League One. He haunted the man who signed him for Posh, Darren Ferguson, by scoring his first two goals for Bolton in Saturday’s 5-0 romp at the Weston Homes Stadium – he hadn’t scored in his previous 117 games for the Trotters!

It was Bolton’s biggest away away win for over 20 years as well as the joint biggest home defeat in Posh’s 63-year history in the Football League.

"This game meant a lot to Rico,” Evatt told the Bolton News. “He was a very young player when he came here, but he was a shell of himself and he was disappointed how it ended up.

“We have created a monster. He is a fantastic player and we are lucky to have him.

“It was a really good performance overall. Our work was superb against a really good team who caused us problems at times.

“We were clinical in the final third and the energy we found to run past their players was impressive.

“I wanted us to keep a clean sheet, be professional, keep the work ethic, and stay humble because that is what good teams do

“They did that. At times they looked tired and fatigued, but you have to put a lot into a game like that, especially out of possession.

“It is difficult to win football matches and especially the way we have won them today.

“We got ahead with the two goals, which was really important. Peterborough’s strength is going forward and they have some wonderful attacking players, but we wanted to challenge them going the other way and we did that. We overloaded their full-backs with our wing-backs and number eights making corner runs and with our centre-backs joining in as well.”

Bolton moved above Derby, and into fourth, but are still six points behind the top two, who also have games in hand.