Wolves hammer Bolton to move further clear at top of Championship

Posted Sunday, November 26, 2017 by PA

Wolves extended their advantage at the Sky Bet Championship summit with a rampant 5-1 triumph over Bolton at Molineux in a match which saw both managers sent to the stands.

First-half goals from Willy Boly and Leo Bonatini put the hosts in the ascendancy and Ivan Cavaleiro's penalty just after the hour mark stretched their advantage.

Will Buckley pulled a goal back on 74 minutes but Cavaleiro restored the hosts' three-goal cushion eight minutes later and Diogo Jota sealed the rout three minutes from time.

Bolton fell behind when they were caught out at a corner. Barry Douglas whipped in a cross and Boly rose above the visiting defence to head home his second goal of the season.

Bolton goalkeeper Ben Alnwick was then badly at fault when Bonatini made it 2-0.

Alnwick raced to the right-hand edge of his area to try and cut out a long through-ball from Ruben Neves but was beaten to it by Jota. Jota lifted the ball over the stranded Alnwick and Bonatini had the simple task of heading into an empty net from six yards for his 11th goal of the campaign.

The game exploded on the touchline in the 44th minute when the Wolves bench reacted furiously to a challenge by Bolton central defender David Wheater on Jota. That sparked a reaction from their Bolton counterparts as the two management groups clashed.

Once the dust had settled, referee Keith Stroud gave Bolton boss Phil Parkinson, who had also been dismissed earlier in the season against Sheffield Wednesday, and home manager Nuno Espirito Santo their marching orders.

Wolves got the focus back on events on the pitch and the result was effectively put beyond doubt when Cavaleiro made no mistake from the spot after Romain Saiss had been fouled by Antonee Robinson.

Buckley briefly raised Bolton's hopes when he converted a pass from Gary Madine with a low shot under goalkeeper John Ruddy before some more Cavaleiro trickery on the edge of the area saw him blast the ball into the roof of the net after a neat pass from substitute Helder Costa.

Wolves then went route one to make it five when Ruddy's long clearance was chased down by Jota, who beat Alnwick with a powerful drive to round off a big win for Nuno's pace-setteres - their fifth straight and eighth in the last nine.