WANDERERS fell to defeat in the league for the first time since March in an error-strewn 90 minutes against Sheffield Wednesday.

George Byers and Liam Palmer did the damage with two goals inside two minutes at the end of the first half but those of a Bolton persuasion will be left feeling the result was a little self-inflicted.

Wednesday had won in Bolton just once in a decade, and once ahead there was little doubt they were in line to claim a second victory.

Wanderers were ticking along fine for most of the first half, albeit they came up against a side who worked the ball quicker than any opponent has managed at the UniBol this season.

Lee Gregory headed wide with the first chance of note, Ricardo Santos then called upon to make a fine block on the edge of the area as Josh Windass tried to get a shot on goal.

Bolton began to find some space in behind the Owls’ backline, first with Kyle Dempsey, who was eventually crowded out by debutant Mark McGuinness, then through Conor Bradley, whose superb turn and sprint was only halted by another good bit of defensive work from Michael Ihiekwe.

Liverpool loanee Bradley would get another chance a few moments later, in a moment that turned the game 180 degrees.

After seizing on a dreadful square ball from Tyreeq Bakinson, Bradley found himself clean through and dead centre of David Stockdale’s goal – but his shot was steered just wide of the post.

Just a couple of minutes later, Wednesday were ahead. This time it was Santos with the error, playing a blind pass back to James Trafford which had the keeper scrambling to clear off his line. With Santos and Co slow to react, Barry Bannan picked up possession and eventually crossed low for Byers to stab into the net from close range.

The Whites barely had time to process falling behind before Windass picked out Palmer with a good ball, and the Owls skipper drilled a low shot past Trafford into the bottom corner.

Windass could have wrapped the game up completely a couple of moments after the break, somehow heading over from five yards out after being picked out by Byers’ cross.

Wanderers tried to muster a response but with a solid lead to defend Wednesday were able to drop a couple of yards deeper and try to hit on the counter.

Evatt brought on Dion Charles and Jon Dadi Bodvarsson, switching to 3-4-1-2, and got a reasonable reaction – Jack Iredale going close with a free kick, pushed aside smartly by Stockdale, and Dempsey curling a left-footed shot narrowly wide from just inside the penalty box.

Their lapses in concentration at the back continued, however, and after a sloppy pass from Santos, Bannan went close with an acrobatic volley from Palmer’s centre.

Frustration was evident in a large crowd – the club’s fifth highest at third tier level of all time (22,023) - and also out on the pitch, where things just had not run smoothly all afternoon.

As Bolton pushed forward they were vulnerable on the break and after sub Kieran Sadlier had lost the ball in midfield, Dennis Adeniran raced through the middle in an effort to score a third, only to be denied by some brave goalkeeping by Trafford.

Santos nearly atoned for his earlier error, going close with a header five minutes from time, but the visitors held on comfortably in the end to move third in the League One table.