WANDERERS made it three wins on the bounce with a stunning 6-0 victory against Sunderland at the UniBol.
Dion Charles bagged a brace, with Dapo Afolayan, Kieran Lee and Declan John also on target, plus a Danny Batth own goal.
It is the first time the Whites have scored six goals in a fixture at the UniBol and sees Ian Evatt’s men climb to 14th in the League One table.
Here are four key takeaways from the game.
No stopping Charles
It’s now three goals in two games for Charles, who has already made a big impact since his move from Accrington.
Despite his lack of playing time in the first half of the season, Charles looked razor-sharp against the Black Cats.
His movement caused the Sunderland defence countless problems and he stuck his goals away nicely.
Charles looks set to be a big player for Wanderers in the second half of the season and is already proving to be a shrewd signing.
Trafford proving the doubters wrong
Evatt made a bold decision to bring James Trafford straight into the team following his loan move from Manchester City but it has certainly paid off.
The young shot-stopper has now kept three successive clean sheets and seems to have brought a calmness to the Wanderers backline.
While he didn’t have much to do yesterday, Trafford made a big save to deny Jack Clarke during the second half.
That is the sign of a good goalkeeper and at just 19 years of age, Trafford is only going to get better and better.
Strength in depth
Evatt opted to make a triple change during the second half, with Jon Dadi Bodvarsson, Amadou Bakayoko and new signing Kieran Sadley all coming off the bench.
The squad now seems a long way away from where it was a couple of months ago when youth players were named on the bench due to injuries.
The board has backed Evatt in the January transfer window and the Bolton boss now has several selection headaches.
But the extra depth should pay off in the coming weeks and months as the Whites aim to climb the League One table.
John settles an old score
John wrapped up the win in style, beating Thorben Hoffman with a precise strike from the edge of the box.
It must have felt sweet for the Welshman, who struggled for opportunities during a loan spell with the Black Cats during the 2020/21 campaign.
John has since found a home at Bolton and is thriving as a wing-back in a 3-5-2 system which allows him to showcase his ability going forward.
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