Bolton Wanderers defeated Lancashire rivals Wigan Athletic 3-1 at the Macron Stadium this evening to climb out of the Championship relegation zone.
The visitors created the better chances in a goalless first half, but it took the Trotters just five minutes to edge ahead following the restart courtesy of Max Clayton's well-taken goal.
Craig Davies doubled his side's advantage five minutes later with a powerful header, while Chung-Yong Lee put the game out of reach from the spot after Matt Mills was hauled down inside the box.
There was still time for Callum McManaman to volley home the goal of the night 11 minutes from time, but Wigan were unable to truly trouble their opponents in the closing stages.
Read how the match unfolded with Sports Mole's live text coverage below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the Championship clash between Bolton Wanderers and Wigan Athletic. The home side have the chance to climb out of the relegation zone this evening with three points, against a Latics side with just one win in their last 11 games.
Kickoff at the Macron Stadium is less than 30 minutes away, so let's take a look at how both sides line up for this one...
TEAM NEWS!
BOLTON WANDERERS STARTING XI: Lonergan, Ream, Mills, Dervite, Vela, Danns, M Davies, Chung-Yong, Feeney, Clayton, C Davies
WIGAN ATHLETIC STARTING XI: Carson, Maloney, Huws, McManaman, Espinoza, Perch, Barnett, Forshaw, Kiernan, Figueroa, Fortune
Wigan boss Uwe Rosler has made four changes to his team for this local derby, then, with Eyr Huws, Callum McManaman, Leon Barnett and Marc-Antoine Fortune all coming into the side. Andy Delort is still absent, meanwhile, having picked up a back injury.
James Tavernier, Don Cowie, James McClean and Martyn Waghorn are the men to drop out of the starting lineup, as Rosler looks to freshen things up in the hope of improving on a poor recent run of form. Should results go against his side this weekend, the Latics could find themselves inside the bottom three.
Bolton have been boosted by the news that Mark Davies has overcome the blurred vision which effected him during the midweek victory over Cardiff, although Jay Spearing is only fit enough for a place among the substitutes this evening.
Liam Feeney bagged a double in that 3-0 win against the Bluebirds on Tuesday night, and he starts once more this evening looking to add to his goalscoring tally for the season. Chung-Yong Lee, one of the rare shining lights for the Trotters in last week's defeat at the hands of Norwich City, also features from the off at the Macron Stadium.
BENCH WATCH!
BOLTON WANDERERS: Kenny, McNaughton, Moxey, Spearing, Mason, Beckford, Hall
WIGAN ATHLETIC: Nicholls, Tavernier, McCann, McClean, Cowie, Waghorn, Kvist
The hosts have included on-loan duo Kevin McNaughton and Joe Mason among their substitutes, along with Jermaine Beckford who will be looking to make an impression if called upon. As already mentioned, Cowie, Waghorn, McClean and Tavernier have all dropped out of the starting lineup, and must make do with a place on the bench.
A little under 15 minutes to go until we get underway at the Macron Stadium...
Well the contrast before and after life under Neil Lennon could not be more stark for Bolton. In 11 games under the rein of Dougie Freedman, the Trotters won one game. Compare that to their form since Lennon came in - three wins from five - and there is clear reason for supporters to be positive heading into this one.
That said, Bolton are still inside the division's bottom three, although that can all change this evening. A rather lacklustre performance against Norwich seven days ago dented their resurgence a little, but they well and truly found their flow against an poor-looking Cardiff side in midweek. In what should be a decent atmosphere inside the Macron Stadium, the hosts will be looking to get off to a flyer.
Wigan on the other hand have failed to live up to the pre-season hype, hovering just four points above the drop zone. Having won just once in their last 11 outings - the type of form that seen Freedman lose his job - the Latics really do need to turn their fortunes around in the coming weeks if they are to have any hope of reaching the playoffs.
Defeat tonight will see their rivals climb above them in the table, which really would add insult to injury. To make matters worse, Rosler's charges have just the single away win to their name from their last 11 outings on the road. Can they improve on that this evening?
PREVIOUS MEETINGS: The last meeting between these sides came back in March, with the game ending in a 1-1 draw at this venue. Wigan have had the better of recent encounters, having not lost in their last four against Bolton. The Trotters' last win in this fixture came back in 2010.
PREDICTION: This is a game being contested between two sides at the bottom end of the table, who have aspirations of pushing on and challenging for a potential playoff finish. The incentive is there for both, although I think Wigan's poor run of form will continue into this one with a 2-1 defeat.
KICKOFF! Wigan Athletic get the Championship weekend underway (at the second time of asking thanks to a false start), instantly looking to force the issue.
SHOT! There's not a lot between the sides in the early stages, as you would expect, and it's a pretty frantic start to this derby clash. The first chance fell the way of the visiting side, with Maloney firing wide a volley from around eight yards out.
That was a decent chance for Maloney but he just didn't quite set himself, perhaps afraid of the challenge coming in on him. Bolton just knocking the ball around now, looking to dictate the tempo in these early stages.
OFF THE BAR! McManaman comes within the width of the crossbar of giving Wigan an early lead. Having cut inside from the left, the 23-year-old struck an almost-perfectly struck shot from distance which beat Andy Lonergan but not the frame of the goal.
Wigan are most certainly the side who have settled the better in the opening nine minutes. Wigan look strong when pushing forward, while Bolton are disjointed. Espinoza was played in for the latest attack from the visitors, but he couldn't quite get a shot away. He wanted a penalty after some minimal contact, but he rather threw himself down to the ground.
Uwe Rosler is right out onto the edge of his technical area, urging his side to "push high". There's no doubting Wigan's gameplan this evening, and it's fair to say that it is working well at the moment. Still no goals, but we have come very close to one.
CHANCE! Another decent opportunity for Wigan to take the lead, with the ball running through the box to the feet of McManaman. He managed to turn and got a shot away, but it was rather tame and Lonergan was able to get down and handle the ball with ease.
Maloney swings a deliciously-weighted free kick into the box, which looked to cause some real panic at the back, although Bolton were able to clear the ball away. The hosts have not got going thus far, and Wigan don't look as though they are in the mood to stop attacking any time soon.
A great challenge from Leon Barnett denies Dervite the chance to test Scott Carson. It was a rare attack from Bolton, and after Feeney's cross was only half cleared Lee played the ball to Dervite inside the box, but Barnett was on hand to deal with the danger.
Bolton are actually dominating the possession stats, although you wouldn't know it going on chances created. Wigan have struck the bar and created two half-decent chances so far, while Bolton have yet to trouble the Latics' backline too much.
SAVE! Bolton's best chance of the game yet falls to Clayton, who forces a save out of Carson with his shot from a tight angle. The move was created by Lee, with the South Korean playing a ball around the Latics defence into the path of his teammate, but he couldn't get the better of Carson.
That really was a fantastic ball from Lee, who has the ability to create chances from nothing. Credit to Carson, too, who did well to keep the ball out. All of a sudden the momentum has shifted in this enjoyable contest.
Lee looks to lead a Bolton counter-attack, but his pass out wide to Feeney wasn't the greatest and the break fizzles out. Wigan having to soak up a bit of pressure now.
I'm wondering if this game will actually settle down at some point, because it is still very frantic. That's the beauty of matches in this division - all teams are confident of picking up three points no matter who the opposition, which leads to some attacking contests.
Bolton win a free kick in a promising position around 25 yards from goal, which Clayton blasts straight into the wall. Moments later the ball came back into the box, but Lee was unable to latch onto it, running straight into Figuero who stood his ground.
The home side are really upping the ante now, putting some sustained pressure on their opponents. The latest shot comes in from Lee, but it is blocked inside the area. Wigan just being pushed further and further back at the moment.
Wigan made such a strong start, coming particularly close through McManaman's long-range strike which came back off the bar, but Bolton have had more of the ball over the last 15 minutes or so. Still goalless in this local derby, but by no means a boring contest.
YELLOW CARD: Neil Danns becomes the first player to enter the referee's book after bringing down Marc-Antoine Fortune.
Neil Lennon is left unhappy after the referee opted not to give his side a free kick when Feeney went down on the edge of the box. There was no appeal from the player, however, which is often very telling.
Lee is being given far too much time on the ball at the moment, despite creating his side's best chance of the game a little while ago with that brilliant ball around the back of the opposition defence. Lennon is unhappy yet again, meanwhile, and this time he had a reason to feel aggrieved after Clayton was blatantly shoved over by Forshaw.
The chances have dried up in the game, but it is Bolton continuing to ask the questions. They started rather slowly, but have grown into the contest more and more. They just need to add some quality in the final third, with their best chance of doing so through the quality of Lee.
OFF THE POST! What a frantic end to the half! Somewhat against the run of play, Wigan blew arguably the best chance of the game to take the lead. Espinoza was through on goal, but having cut inside he was edged off the ball and the opportunity went begging. Bolton didn't fully clear their lines, though, and moments later McManaman hit the post for the second time this half, looking for the bottom corner with his curling-effort which came agonisingly close to putting the visitors ahead.
HALF TIME: BOLTON WANDERERS 0-0 WIGAN ATHLETIC
A frantic end to what was on the whole an entertaining first half. Wigan started strong and ended even better, but in-between it was the hosts who took control. That said there is no denying that the Latics created the best openings of the game, and they will feel disappointed to be going into the interval level.
Calllum McManaman in particular will feel aggrieved that the game is still goalless at the break having hit the frame of the goal on two separate occasions. He has been the liveliest player on the field, while Lee is Bolton's most dangerous man in the attacking third.
MATCH STATS! The statistics don't tell the full story, with just two shots on goal all game. There have been 11 shots all together from both sides combined, while Bolton edge the possession count with 55% compared to Wigan's 45%.
The Welshman hasn't been able to help his side make the breakthrough so far...
A reminder of the options available to both managers should they wish to change things up a little at the break
BOLTON WANDERERS SUBS: Kenny, McNaughton, Moxey, Spearing, Mason, Beckford, Hall
WIGAN ATHLETIC SUBS: Nicholls, Tavernier, McCann, McClean, Cowie, Waghorn, Kvist
SECOND HALF UNDERWAY! Bolton get proceedings back underway... will we see a goal in the next 45 minutes?
Much like the first half, play continues to be stretched in the opening stages following the restart. There's certainly plenty of space to run into, but neither side has been able to capitalise so far.
GOAL! BOLTON WANDERERS 1-0 WIGAN ATHLETIC (CLAYTON)
This game has deserved a goal, and we finally have it through Max Clayton's clinical finish. Once again Lee was the architect, picking out his teammate with a well-weighted through-ball, and Clayton, making his first start this evening, did the rest by sticking the ball through Carson's legs.
It will be interesting to see how this game pans out now in terms of possession. The game has been very stretched in large parts, but will that goal see Bolton sit back or push on for more? We'll soon find out.
CLOSE! Danns shows real desire to keep hold of the ball on the edge of the Wigan area, and it eventually finds its way to Clayton who looks to pick his spot with a curling effort which is narrowly over the target.
GOAL! BOLTON WANDERERS 2-0 WIGAN ATHLETIC (CRAIG DAVIES)
Well I questioned whether Bolton would sit back after taking the lead, and that second goal has certainly answered it. A cross came in from the right-hands side and Craig Davies leapt up to meet the cross, heading down and beyond Carson at the back post.
CHANCE! That really should have been game over, with Clayton gifted a chance to tuck the ball home following a poor back-pass from Barnett. The striker pushed the ball beyond the post, though, to the relief of the Wigan defender.
WIGAN ATHLETIC SUBS: Wigan make a double substitution, as James McClean and Chris McCann replace Shaun Maloney and Emyr Huws.
PENALTY TO BOLTON WANDERERS!
GOAL! BOLTON WANDERERS 3-0 WIGAN ATHLETIC (LEE)
Lee surely puts the game beyond Wigan from the spot, with Wigan the victims of their own downfall. Barnett was the man at fault again, hauling down Matt Mills inside the area and leaving the referee with little choice but to award a penalty kick. Lee put it straight down the middle to add his side's third goal in 11 minutes.
It's no exaggeration to say that Bolton could have had five or six goals this half. They have well and truly ripped Wigan to shreds since the interval, with Craig Davies in particular causing a real nuisance at the back. The Trotters are heading out of the bottom three.
Bolton go from strength to strength at home, scoring three times in three consecutive game. They could very well better that tally at this rate, as Wigan begin to lose their composure on the field.
WIGAN ATHLETIC SUB: William Kvist is introduced as Rosler rolls the dice for a final time. Forshaw is the man to make way as we approach the final 20 minutes at the Macron Stadium.
Wigan have been shaken up by that three-goal salvo from the hosts, and they are unable to get back into the flow we became accustomed to in the first half. It now looks likely to be one win in 12 games, with the gap between themselves and the relegation zone becoming thinner and thinner.
SHOT! Still no joy for Athletic as they look to find a route back into the game. Bolton are winning all the second balls, with Josh Vela coming close to adding a fourth goal for the hosts, but his long-range drive was always climbing.
Wigan still yet to have got a shot away in this second half, although on a rare break forward that looked like it was going to change, only for McCann to be flagged for offside. Bolton are happy to see this game out now, yet at the same time always on the lookout for a fourth.
GOAL! BOLTON WANDERERS 3-1 WIGAN ATHLETIC (MCMANAMAN)
Well against the run of play Wigan find a goal, which gives them just a little hope as we enter the final 10 minutes. It was a fantastic strike from McClean, too, who has been his side's best player so far. McClean managed to find a cross at the end of his run down the left, allowing his teammate to smash the ball home on the volley from inside the box. Great technique.
Just a slight sense of nerves around the Macron Stadium following that McManaman goal. Wigan may now provide more in an attacking sense, and they have eight more minutes to find two more goals. It took Bolton just 11 minutes to score three, remember.
McClean swings in another ball from the left and wins his side a corner kick. They have to make the most of these opportunities, because time is really running out now...
YELLOW CARD! Barnett looked as though he was going to get on the end of his side's first corner kick, but Mills was standing by to deal with the danger. Bolton pushed forward on the counter-attack, although the move came to an abrupt end when McCann brought down an opposition player to earn a yellow card.
The Trotters work the resulting set piece very well with Ream being played in on the right, but his delivery which was heading across the face of goal was well blocked. Four minutes remaining, and right now Wigan don't look likely to add to their tally.
BOLTON WANDERERS SUB: Feeney couldn't add to the brace he scored against Cardiff last time out, but he can be happy with his showing this evening as he walks off to be replaced by Jay Spearing.
The fourth official indicates that we will play four additional minutes, yet any Wigan comeback is well and truly off the cards. They just can't put anything together in the attacking third at the moment, which is playing nicely into their opponents' hands.
Barnett and McCann were both after the same ball at the back post as Wigan throw everything they have at Bolton, but the latter couldn't divert his header goalwards.
McClean swings in another decent cross, although there was nobody in a yellow shirt around to latch onto the ball. One minute left to play at the Macron.
FULL TIME: BOLTON WANDERERS 3-1 WIGAN ATHLETIC
The referee blows for full time, ensuring that Bolton Wanderers pick up the three points needed to climb out of the relegation zone. It is now Wigan who are in immediate proximity to the drop zone, as their poor run of form continues to deepen.
Well that's all from me this evening on Sports Mole, but stick around for a full match report and all the reaction from the Macron Stadium. Thanks for joining.
