Wolves 5 (Boly 13, Bonatini 25, Cavaleiro 62-pen, 82, Jota 87)
Bolton 1 (Buckley 74)
Wolves powered to another victory, their 14th of the season and fifth in succession, as they ruthlessly overcame a Bolton side looking to move away from the wrong end of the table.
The Molineux side was unchanged for the visit of the Trotters who included former Wolfs Karl Henry and Mark Little in their starting line-up with Adam Le Fondre named as a substitute.
Bolton kicked-off attacking the South Bank end and inside the first minute there was a scare for the home support when Josh Vela robbed Conor Coady in the home area. The Bolton midfielder lined up a shot at goal but John Ruddy was nicely positioned to dive and save.
The visitors had another opportunity when Barry Douglas was deemed to have fouled Sammy Ameobi to the right of the home area. Gary Madine got a head to Vela’s free-kick but Ruddy wasn’t overly stretched with the save required.
Wolves took the lead in the 13th minute as Willy Boly scored his second goal of the season bulleting home a header from Douglas’s superbly delivered corner.
It could easily have been two four minutes late when a Douglas free-kick had the Bolton defence at sixes and sevens with Boly, Ryan Bennett and Diogo Jota all having shots blocked in quick succession.
In a move reminiscent of the one that led to his goal against Leeds three days earlier, Ivan Cavaleiro cut in from the right and hit a fierce shot that flew inches wide of the near post.
But the home supporters were soon back on their feet as Wolves went two up in the 25th minute. Ruben Neves slipped the ball to Jota on the left and his clever ball into the box left keeper Ben Alnwick in no man’s land and gave Leo Bonatini the chance for a finish that he executed in style.
Ameobi was wide with a low, long-range drive in a rare Bolton attack before a seemingly quiet affair erupted in the dying seconds of the half.
David Wheater’s late challenge on Jota earned the defender a booking which seemed straightforward enough. But a brief argument between the two benches resulted in in both Phil Parkinson and Nuno being sent to the stands by the referee.
Coady’s challenge on Madine a good 35-yards out resulted in a Bolton free-kick that Ameobi blazed high over the bar and, seconds later, Ameobi went into the book for a reckless tackle on Douglas after the ball had gone.
Half-Time: Wolves 2 Bolton 0
Wolves still looked a threat after the resumption and it took a timely block from Wheater to prevent Bonatini from adding to his tally after the effervescent Cavaleiro had set up the chance.
Jota was yellow carded for a foul on Antonee Robinson shortly before Adam Armstrong curled a shot well wide from the edge of the area.
Wolves went three to the good in the 62nd minute after Robinson had clearly felled Romain Saiss in the box. Whilst Alnwick guessed correctly by diving to his left, he stood no chance of reaching the ball so precise was Cavaleiro’s spot kick into the corner of the net.
Bolton made two changes sending Will Buckley and Craig Noone on for Amiaobi and Armstrong and, after Neves had been booked for fouling Little, Helder Costa replaced Bonatini for Wolves.
It looked like Jota was going to make it four after Cavaleiro had broken from inside his own half and set up his team-mate, but Alnwick saved with his foot.
Then, out of the blue in the 74th minute, Bolton pulled one back. Neves looked to have been fouled in the build-up but Buckley was allowed to run onto Madine’s pass and he slotted the ball past Ruddy.
After Le Fondre had replaced Darren Pratley as Bolton’s last substitute, Wolves restored their three goal advantage in the 82nd minute as Cavaleiro took a pass from Costa and cut inside his marker before lashing the ball into the roof of the net.
Cavaleiro received hearty applause as he left the field in exchange for Alfred N’Diaye shortly afterwards.
Wolves made it five in the 87th minute when a great clearance from Ruddy dropped into the path of Jota who left defenders in his wake as he sprinted into the box before stroking the ball past Alnwick.
A final Wolves change saw Ruben Vinagre taking over from Douglas who, like Cavaleiro, was cheered from the pitch.
In stoppage time, Ruddy made a terrific save from Buckley’s point-blank header and Jota was inches away from his second and his side’s sixth after a trademark run and shot.
Wolves: Ruddy, Doherty, Douglas (Vinagre 88), Coady (capt), Boly, Bennett, Cavaleiro (N’Diaye 85), Saiss, Bonatini (Costa 72), Neves Jota.
Unused subs: Norris, Batth, Price, Enobakhare.
Bookings: Jota (58 – foul), Neves (64 – foul).
Bolton: Alnwick, Little, Beevers, Vela, Ameobi (Noone 63), Madine, Robinson, Armstrong (Buckley 63), Pratley (capt) (Le Fondre 77), Henry, Wheater.
Unused subs: Howard, Cullen, Darby, Burke.
Bookings: Ameobi (45+4 – foul), Wheater (45 – foul),
Referee: K. Stroud.
Attendance: 27,894 (821 away supporters).
Wolves Academy Under 18s 0 Stoke City 1
