AS pivotal games go this was right up there with the best – as any one of the 3,700 Bolton fans who flocked to Boothferry Park on a memorable Friday night 15 years ago would testify.

Bruce Rioch’s Wanderers were on an incredible run – 13 wins in 16 games – but were still four points behind Port Vale in the race for automatic promotion from the old Second Division – the third tier of English football.

But a goal behind and down to 10 men – Dean Windass converted a 39th minute penalty to put Hull in front after Alan Stubbs had been sent off for handling Darren France’s shot on the line – it seemed the Whites might have to settle for the play-offs after all.

But they fought back in spectacular fashion to record a victory that, arguably, was the catalyst for everything the club has achieved since.

Julian Darby filled in at centre-back, John McGinlay harassed, Tony Kelly cajoled and finally Mark Seagraves got in the header that forced Windass into conceding the own goal that prompted a pitch invasion by ecstatic Wanderers fans.

But, with Hull defender Rob Miller injured in the melee, there were fears that the game might have to be abandoned.

It was just as well that it wasn’t. After Keith Branagan pulled off a couple of stunning reaction saves, the ubiquitous McGinlay deflected David Burke’s shot past Steve Wilson in the Hull goal to claim a victory that, combined with single-goal home wins over Stoke and Preston in the final week of the season, took Wanderers back into football’s second tier.

Wanderers’ proud manager Rioch boasted about his successful side: “The character within this team is quite phenomenal.”

Hull City Wilson, Norton, Miller, Mail, Wilcox, Abbott (Brown 68), France, Warren (Atkinson 55), Hunter, Windass, Jones.

Wanderers Branagan, Brown, Burke, Lee, Seagraves, Stubbs, Darby, Kelly, McAteer, McGinlay, Patterson.