Surprise-package Bolton fifth after win at Wolves

Bolton rose to fifth in the Premier League after keeping Wolves at bay to secure a 3-2 win at Molineux on Saturday.

Owen Coyle’s side sit just three points outside the Champions League places following the latest fine result in their surprisingly good start to the season.

In contrast, Wolves remain in the relegation zone and only goal difference is keeping them off the bottom of the table.

Bolton took the lead within a minute thanks to Richard Stearman’s own goal and second-half strikes from Johan Elmander and Stuart Holden gave them a 3-0 lead.

Kevin Foley and Steven Fletcher swiftly reduced the deficit, but Mick McCarthy’s side were unable to find the equaliser.

The opening goal arrived after 45 seconds when South Korea’s Lee Chung-yong headed into the penalty area, where Stearman, under pressure from Matt Taylor, nodded it past Marcus Hahnemann and into his own net.

It was a disastrous start, but the hosts tried to rally quickly and their skipper Karl Henry forced a save out of Jussi Jaaskelainen with a lofted delivery.

Moments later Sylvan Ebanks-Blake brought down Stephen Hunt’s cross and protested that Gary Cahill pulled him back as he shaped to shoot, but referee Peter Walton ruled that the Wolves striker controlled the ball with an arm.

Wolves’ hunt for a leveller showed no signs of letting up as the second half got under way, with Nenad Milijas unlucky once more after his chip from the edge of the box clipped the bar.

The hosts looked to be in the ascendancy, but they were undone by a moment of magic in the 62nd minute.

Holden, who had brought a save out of Hahnemann moments earlier, played the ball in to Swedish striker Elmander, who had his back to goal but twisted and turned around a crowd of defenders before calmly finishing in the bottom corner.

American midfielder Holden then got on the scoresheet himself in the 67th minute, slotting Lee’s pass into the net and Wolves looked dead and buried.

They swiftly pulled one back, though, as Foley collected the ball from Matt Jarvis and angled it past Jaaskelainen in the 69th minute.

Wolves grabbed another in the 77th minute. Jarvis was again the provider, sending in a corner which Jaaskelainen flapped a glove at but missed, allowing substitute Fletcher to nod over the line.