Coyle praises Davies in FA Cup win

Bolton manager Owen Coyle has praised striker Kevin Davies for his first-minute goal in the 2-0 FA Cup win over Macclesfield.

The Premier League side went ahead on Tuesday after a Jon Bateson mistake in the Macclesfield defence.

Martin Petrov crossed for Davies to score after just 34 seconds and Coyle was delighted with his side’s first half showing.

“There’s no getting away from the first half we certainly passed and moved the ball like we know we are capable of,” Coyle said after the match.

“We scored two good goals and created numerous other chances, and in the second half if truth be told and I stressed this to the players they probably felt the game was too easy for them, I think they thought they had won the game.”

“I think Adam (Bogdan) had one save from the match, which was a good save but other than that I don’t recall anything else that really troubled us, so the most important thing is we are through to the next round and we are unscathed.”

There were many positives for Bolton after a rare home win and Coyle praised his front pair of Tuncay and Davies.

“I thought Tuncay had good game but I have to say I thought Kevin Davies had a good first half in particular,” Coyle said.

“We changed the shape tonight and sometimes you lose a bit of continuity but over the piece there is a lot to be pleased about.”

“It was nice to get a home win, have to make sure we get the Reebok going back to being a fortress like it was last year and we are capable of doing that.”

Davies has struggled to force his way into the Bolton starting XI lately, but Coyle was adamant the big striker still had a role to play at the club.

“As a striker it is always important to score goals,” Coyle said.

“I can vouch for that I think I scored 297 goals myself and it’s always nice to up amongst the goals because it breeds confidence.

“He will certainly have enjoyed that but Kevin is more than just goals. It’s what he brings to the team and I felt he did that particularly in the first half.”

“He was winning his headers and bringing us up the pitch there was this zest and enthusiasm about him that will do us well. He is our captain and an integral part of the club, nothing changes with that.”

Macclesfield manager Gary Simpson fielded a young side with, Elliot Hewitt, 17, and George Whiteoak, 15, getting important game time against Premier League opposition and the League Two boss said experience is the key for their development.

“It wasn’t the greatest start in the world. The kid slipped and they punish you at this level when they get a chance. To go one down we could have caved in but we recouped a bit,” Simpson said.

“We haven’t tried to kick them off the pitch, we have passed around them and kept the ball – there are a lot of plusses from tonight.”

“The young boy Hewitt is 17 and playing against Premier League opposition at that age.”

“We managed to get the young boy on, Whiteoak, and give him a taste of it. He is 15 years old and he will remember that.”