David McGoldrick’s 55th minute penalty saw Town to a 1-0 home victory over Bolton. The Blues top scorer had been hauled back by Trotters’ keeper Andy Lonergan after he had dropped a high ball.
Stephen Hunt and Frank Nouble came into the Town side for departed loanee Ryan Tunnicliffe and Paul Anderson, who dropped to the bench.
Former Blue Liam Trotter was named on the bench for the visitors having joined them on loan from Millwall yesterday.
McGoldrick threatened for the first time in the fifth minute, shooting over at the far post after Cole Skuse’s cross from the right had been flicked on. Town’s top scorer may feel he ought to have scored.
A minute later, Lukas Jutkiewicz headed Bolton’s first chance wide from Neil Danns’s cross from the right.
The visitors should have gone in front in the 12th minute after Tim Ream crossed from the left and Jutkiewicz’s effort from the edge of the six-yard box was blocked. The loose ball fell to Mark Davies 10 yards out but he completely missed his kick. Once the former Wolves midfielder had regained control, he scraped well wide.
It was a fortunate escape for the Blues, who hadn’t really settled into a reshuffled 4-3-3 system with Hunt joining Jay Tabb and Skuse in the midfield.
On 17, Chambers crossed from the right but Nouble’s looping header failed to test Trotters keeper Lonergan.
Two minutes later, Tabb found Hunt midway inside the Bolton half towards the right, the Irish international cleverly threading in Nouble, whose shot from a tight angle was deflected wide off Matt Mills.
From the resultant corner, the ball was eventually cleared to Aaron Cresswell 30 yards out, the left-back smashing a powerful strike which looked goalbound until Lonergan got his fingertips to it and diverted it over.
On 27 Skuse required lengthy treatment after a clash of heads just outside the Town penalty area. A stretcher was brought on but eventually the midfielder was led off the field and around the perimeter to the tunnel to warm applause. Anthony Wordsworth took over.
Bolton had another good chance to go in front in the 34th minute, skipper Jay Spearing playing a deft pass over the Blues backline and into the path of Danns. The former Colchester man seemed set to score but Town keeper Dean Gerken did well to save his outside-of-the-boot shot down to his left.
The visitors had dominated proceedings since Skuse’s injury and threatened again on 39, Christophe Berra doing well to nod wide ahead of Jutkiewicz.
Three minutes later, the Scotland international was booked for a foul on Darren Pratley after the former Swansea man had got away from him midway inside the Town half. Spearing’s curling freekick flew well wide.
The Trotters continued to have the better of it as the game moved into six minutes of injury time, Jutkiewicz hitting a low shot wide of Gerken’s left post.
Wordsworth scuffed a shot well over after a corner from the left had reached him deep on the right, then at the other end Medo Kamara hit a powerful strike over from the right but the scores remained level at the break.
Town were rather fortunate to still be on terms, the visitors having had the half’s better chances and been in control for the most part, certainly since Skuse’s injury. Davies certainly should have taken his opportunity, while Gerken had to be at his best to save from Danns.
The Blues’ best chances were McGoldrick’s early strike, which he failed to get on top of, and Nouble’s shot which was well blocked.
McCarthy’s men had looked uncomfortable in their 4-3-3 system and had failed to settle after losing Skuse.
Bolton started the second period on the front foot, Gerken saving Alex Baptiste’s strike from the right at his near post.
Hunt won Town a corner in the 49th minute, Wordsworth eventually sending a strike not too far over Lonergan’s bar from 20 yards.
The Blues, with Tabb in the deeper of the three midfield roles, finally started to impose themselves on the game, Nouble and Chambers sending dangerous balls in from the right.
And in the 55th minute Town went in front from the penalty spot. Lonergan failed to hold onto a high ball under pressure from McGoldrick and hauled the Blues back as he looked to get to the loose ball. Referee Charles Breakspear pointed straight to the spot.
McGoldrick, who had had Town’s last two penalties saved, took the kick himself and smashed it down the middle to claim his 15th goal of the season.
The former Forest man, who has declared his international allegiance to the Republic of Ireland, went close again a minute later, hitting a low shot across the face of goal and wide.
The goal had given the Blues a spring in their step, Hunt striking a dipping half-volley which Lonergan claimed on 62, then two minutes later a corner was laid out to Tabb, whose wayward shot was diverted over by Wordsworth.
The former Colchester man flicked a Hunt corner to the far post in the 71st minute, Ream turning the ball behind ahead of Berra. Two minutes later ex-Town man Liam Trotter was warmly applauded by his old fans as he came on to make his debut for his new club.
Frazer Richardson was given his debut in place of the Blues’ earlier sub Wordsworth in the 78th minute, the on-loan Middlesbrough man slotting into the midfield — taking up the deep role previously occupied by Tabb - rather than his more usual right-back role.
Bolton sub Chris Eagles hit a low shot through to Gerken on 83 with the Trotters throwing players forward in numbers as they went looking for an equaliser. The Blues were largely content to sit and catch the visitors on the break.
Berra skipped past a couple of Bolton players, then struck an effort which was blocked in the 85th minute, then three minutes later debutant Richardson shot over.
The Blues continued to look the more threatening side as the game moved into injury time, Hunt’s right-foot effort scuffing wide.
Bolton never looked like getting back on terms during the final minutes and referee Breakspeak’s whistle confirmed Town’s victory.
While the Trotters had been the better side before the break, the Blues were very much on top in the second half and in the end deserved the victory.
Having gone in front via what looked a very definite penalty, Town could have increased their lead with Bolton, who ought to have been in front at half-time, looking very much a struggling side once they were behind. The Blues remain in seventh, four points behind Reading in the final play-off place.
Town: Gerken, Chambers (c), Berra, Smith, Cresswell, Tabb, Skuse (Wordsworth 32 (Richardson 78), Hunt, Nouble, McGoldrick, Murphy. Subs: Loach, Mings, Anderson, Edwards, Taylor.
Bolton: Lonergan, Baptiste, Knight, Mills, Ream, Spearing (c), Medo (Lee 80), Pratley (Eagles 59), M Davies, Danns (Trotter 73), Jutkiewicz. Subs: Bogdan, White, Vela, Moritz. Referee: Charles Breakspear (Surrey). Att: 15,429 (Bolton: 372).