Catastrophe for Bolton as local rivals triumph

Wigan Athletic earned three extremely valuable points yesterday as Bolton Wanderers suffered a ninth league defeat at the Reebok Stadium this season.

The deadlock was broken by Wigan near the end of the first half when Gary Caldwell rose above Bolton defender David Wheater to powerfully head home Jean Beausejour’s corner. The home side managed to level the scoreline after the break, but for little more than five minutes because Victor Moses set up James McArthur who fired the visitors back in front.

Afterwards Bolton manager Owen Coyle remained emphatic in his belief they would get out of their current predicament and avoid relegation. Mark Davies, who scored Bolton’s goal, after a lucky deflection off a teammate teed him up, said: “It was three points we needed and it cancels out some good results in the last few weeks, and that’s the most disappointing thing.”