Fleetwood Town striker praises team-mate for his hard work

The 23-year-old has emerged as a real threat for the Cod Army this season, leading the goalscoring charts at the club with eight goals in all competitions.

Having scored a hat-trick in the EFL Trophy tie with Aston Villa’s youngsters, he then netted twice in front of the Sky Sports cameras as Town ran out 4-1 winners against Hull City.

It might not have been Saunders’ first taste of senior football but Evans is seeing more from him now with one particular quality that will always stand out.

“He was in and out towards the end of the season,” Evans said of Saunders.

“I think, this season, he has kicked on a lot. He’s so fast, so he’s always going to be a threat no matter what.

“He’s got off to a great start, and for Harvey, it’s just about keeping the momentum going, keep plugging away, keep training and doing as much as he can on the training ground.

“With his pace alone and the goals he’s going to get this season, he’s putting himself in the shop window massively and giving him (head coach Joey Barton) the headache of who to play up front.

“From Harvey’s situation he’s just got to keep doing what he’s doing because he’s doing brilliantly.”

It isn’t all about Saunders though, with Evans looking to use willing runners around him to his advantage.

Often used as a foil in a forward sense, Evans admits there have been tactical conversations within the squad to get him on the ball more.

With Paddy Madden and Saunders seen out on the wings, it can create space for the Welshman to operate in.

“We’ve spoken about it at length as a squad,” he said.

“If those two are running in behind, I can come and get it to my feet or it can be clipped into me, which is nice. I’m not always just getting nailed from the centre-halves.

“With those two being a threat in behind it does make my job a lot easier.”

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