Owen Coyle hailed his Bolton side after they bounced back from their Wembley horror show to beat Arsenal 2-1.
The Trotters were thumped 5-0 by Stoke in last week’s FA Cup semi-final and then faced an Arsenal side needing to win to maintain any realistic hope of winning the Premier League title.
Coyle’s men were under pressure early on and for much of the second half after Robin van Persie drew Arsenal level in the 48th minute but they refused to let their heads down and go back into their shell.
The Trotters responded well to an early Arsenal onslaught to claim a deserved lead through Daniel Sturridge in the 38th minute.
Captain Kevin Davies then had a poor penalty saved moments before Van Persie’s well-worked equaliser.
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And although the Gunners pegged Bolton back, missing several chances to go in front, Coyle’s men kept coming forward and sub Tamir Cohen headed a 90th-minute winner from Matt Taylor’s corner.
“We had a terrible, horrible day last week, and everything that could go wrong did,” Coyle told Sky Sports.
“We didn’t feel great about ourselves and that will stay with me, as a manager, till the day I die because we went there believing we could win.
“But I think today everyone saw the true Bolton and the standards we are capable of producing.
“It was an end-to-end game and it would have been very easy to shut up shop and to try prevent them getting in behind.
Attacking intent
“But I was adamant we were going to go out with two forwards on the pitch and try to win it, recognising that Arsenal would have an advantage in the middle of the park with that extra man.
“Every one of my strikers worked their socks off and we had some unbelievable chances in the first half. We should have gone 2-0 up with the penalty, and then Robin van Persie turns up with a fantastic goal.
“At that point, given the circumstances of last week, it would have been easy to feel sorry for yourself.
“But this group don’t know that. They picked themselves up again and we’re absolutely delighted to get the late winner.”
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Coyle hails Bolton spirit