Bolton end winless run against Wolves
Liam Feeney and Zach Clough opened their accounts for the season as Bolton beat Wolves 2-1 to register their first Sky Bet Championship win of the new campaign.
However, Benik Afobe's second-half penalty made Neil Lennon's side sweat before ending an 11 game league and cup winless streak dating back to Easter Monday.
Victory also lifted Bolton out of the bottom three as they extended an unbeaten home record against Wolves to 12 games.
Bolton were rewarded for an enterprising start after 17 minutes when Feeney netted his first goal since January 17 - a run of 27 matches.
The former Millwall winger shrugged off Scott Golbourne's flimsy challenge to register only Wanderers' second goal of the campaign after Wellington Silva and Dean Moxey both went close early on.
Wolves' best efforts came from an Adam Le Fondre shot and Ethan Ebanks-Landell's header, with both well saved by Ben Amos.
And as the half progressed Bolton found themselves repeatedly pushed back. Just before the break, Amos came to the hosts' rescue again, tipping over James Henry's fiercely struck, angled drive from 12 yards.
There was obvious relief from home fans when Bolton doubled their advantage in first-half stoppage-time. Arsenal loanee Wellington's mazy dribble was cut short by Ebanks-Landell's clumsy challenge, giving referee Scott Duncan his easiest penalty decision of the season to date.
Gary Madine missed Wanderers' previous spot-kick against Nottingham Forest, so Clough was entrusted with the duties and ended his own drought going back to February 28 with a precision finish into the comer of Emiliano Martinez's net.
Bolton lost midfielder Neil Danns to concussion after 50 minutes, with Josh Vela coming on as a like-for-like replacement.
The Trotters' two scorers then linked up for the first chance of the second half, Clough crossing and Feeney heading fractionally wide.
Wolves hit back and should have punished hesitant defending. Instead Jed Wallace, set up perfectly by one-time Bolton loanee Afobe, side-footed wide an attempt from 10 yards with Amos stranded.
Wallace was withdrawn soon afterwards, with Sheyji Ojo becoming the visitors' first change.
And with 23 minutes remaining Afobe dragged Wolves back into contention with the game's second penalty. This time Prince was the offender and Le Fondre, Bolton's top scorer last season during his loan move from Cardiff, the victim.
Afobe's stuttering run-up suitably hoodwinked Amos to shoot the Black Country outfit back into contention, and they should have levelled when Afobe played in Dave Edwards but the close-range effort only rippled the side netting.
Bolton, too, were guilty of poor execution in front of goal. Ex-Wolves midfielder Mark Davies took three players out of the game and laid on the easiest of chances, only for Madine to blaze high, wide and not very handsome.
Another penetrating run by skipper Davies engineered an opening for Emile Heskey but the former England international's left-foot chance was beaten away by Martinez.
The misses almost proved costly but former Manchester United goalkeeper Amos rescued his team-mates with late saves to deny Henry and Le Fondre.
Source: PA
