Wolves 1-3 Bolton: Trotters Stun Hosts at Molineux

Bolton Wanderers pulled off a well-earned Championship win against Wolves on a poor night for the hosts at Molineux.

The visitors took the lead just before the half-hour mark when Atsuki Ito prospered from Wolves failing to clear a corner to fire home. The hosts levelled early in the second half when Jean-Ricner Bellegarde finished coolly into the bottom corner but more carelessness led to Bolton restoring their lead. After Wolves failed to clear their lines, Sam Dalby finished from close range for Steven Schumacher’s side while Josh Sheehan’s lofted long-range effort put the gloss on a stunning performance.

The result means Wolves have now lost both of their games following the return to league action after the international break. Bolton, on the other hand, clinched their third win from their past four league games.

After a tepid opening 10 minutes, the game began to open up, with Samuel Iling-Junior first striking straight at Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa. Sheehan forced a diving save from Sa 10 minutes later with Wolves then testing Gavin Bazunu shortly after when Mateus Mane curled wide.

It was Sa that gifted Bolton their opener, however, as he spilled the ball after Bolton initially played a short corner, Ladislav Krejci could only head partially clear and Ito fired into the net with relative ease. In response, Fer Lopez should have levelled for Wolves but headed straight into the hands of Bazunu following a clever delivery from Hugo Bueno, who himself was well off target with an effort from long range just before the break.

Half-time came at a useful time for Wolves, who duly regrouped and were rewarded when Bellegarde controlled a high ball and was allowed the time and space to finish low past Bazunu. Mane fired over once again and Adam Armstrong shot straight at Bazunu from Rafiki Said’s clever delivery as Wolves continued to press.

But when the hosts needlessly gifted the ball back to Bolton deep inside their own half, Gaizka Larrazabal played a neat ball through to Dalby who finished well inside the box. Bolton were not done there as Sheehan unleashed an audacious dipping shot from 25 yards out which had Sa well beaten and capped off a poor night’s showing for Wolves and the complete opposite for the visitors.