Bolton came from behind with two goals in 11 second-half minutes to beat Cambridge 2-1 and close in on the League One automatic-promotion places.

Paris Maghoma and Carlos Mendes Gomes both struck to give the Trotters a victory which took them level with second-placed Derby, who have played one game more.

Cambridge had defended solidly for much of the first half, having taken a ninth-minute lead. Maghoma gave the ball away to Sullay Kaikai, whose low cross looped in off Bolton defender Eoin Toal.

Kaikai saw a shot parried by Joel Coleman, while at the other end Jack Stevens made a comfortable save from Nathan Ogbeta’s low effort.

Bolton started the second half on the front foot, and were rewarded when a 52nd-minute corner was flicked into the path of Maghoma, who touched home.

Eleven minutes later Josh Sheehan was given time and space to pick out the run of Mendes Gomes, who volleyed in from close range.

Cambridge forward Lyle Taylor was shown a late red card for an off-the-ball clash with defender Jack Iredale.

Ian Evatt was seething for a second successive weekend despite Bolton battling back twice to deny opposite number Nathan Jones his first win as Charlton boss in a 3-3 draw.

Evatt was sent off and then later charged with allegedly using foul and abusive language during his team’s draw at Northampton last Saturday.

And he was livid once more as referee Ross Joyce did not stop play for a head injury to Josh Dacres-Cogley in the build-up to Daniel Kanu putting Charlton 3-2 ahead after 61 minutes.

Substitute Jon Dadi Bodvarsson rescued a point for promotion-chasing Bolton 19 minutes from time.

Victor Adeboyejo had put the home side 1-0 up but the Addicks led 2-1 at the break through Thierry Small’s first goal for the club on debut and Lloyd Jones.

Paris Maghoma scored a spectacular equaliser six minutes after the interval only for Kanu to cap a fine display with a low shot that went in off a post.

“He (Dacres-Cogley) landed on his head,” claimed Evatt. “He is clearly holding his head. He is down on the floor.

“We know the impact of head injuries and how serious they can be. At that point no-one could have known how serious it could be.

“The referee told me he (Dacres-Cogley) had sat up. But I have watched the footage back after the game and he didn’t at any stage.

“A few ricochets later it is in the back of the net. It is baffling considering what happened with their goalkeeper at the end.”

With Bolton pressing for a winner referee Joyce halted play to allow treatment to Charlton keeper Harry Isted.

“It doesn’t matter whether it is a goalkeeper or not; it’s not a head injury,” argued Evatt, who also claimed he heard “bad language” directed at the officials.

“It just feels like the world is going against us with decisions, with suspension and with injuries. We have lost four key members to our team.”

Charlton chief Jones was full of praise for his team’s point ahead of games against Bolton’s promotion rivals Portsmouth and Derby.

But he claimed not to have seen anything untoward before Kanu scored.

“I don’t know what happened,” he said. “Well done, that’s one thing he (Mr Joyce) gave us today.

“I didn’t see it. I thought it was a good goal.

“To come here and to score three against one of the best and arguably the best footballing side in the division and to be able to do what we did showed we are progressing.

“It was a positive performance, it was an energetic performance and at no point did we look to contain.”

Jon Dadi Bodvarsson produced another vital contribution from the bench as Bolton twice came from behind to earn a 3-3 draw with Charlton in League One.

The Icelandic super sub denied the visitors a first win in 17 games with a 71st-minute equaliser to add to a midweek winner against Wycombe.

Bolton, who remain just outside the automatic promotion places, led after 19 minutes when Victor Adeboyejo turned in Zac Ashworth’s cross for his ninth goal of the season.

But the Addicks threatened to gain a first win over their hosts since 2017 when Thierry Small and Lloyd Jones struck after 22 and 40 minutes.

Small’s deep cross – on his Charlton debut – deceived keeper Joel Coleman who endured a nervy afternoon deputising for the injured Nathan Baxter.

Bodvarsson replaced Adeboyejo at half-time and six minutes after the interval Paris Maghoma curled in a spectacular right-foot leveller.

Daniel Kanu restored Charlton’s lead just past the hour. Bolton, however, protested that referee Ross Joyce should have stopped the game for a potential head injury to Josh Dacres-Cogley in the build-up.

But Bolton rallied and Bodvarsson turned in Dacres-Cogley’s centre for a deserved point.

Manager Ian Evatt admitted Bolton’s return to winning ways was not easy on the eye but described the 2-1 Sky Bet League One victory over Wycombe as “huge.”

Captain Gethin Jones headed the Trotters into a 32nd-minute lead and substitute Jon Dadi Bodvarsson’s added-time goal sealed a first win in four games in all competitions.

Luke Leahy’s penalty consolation for Wycombe came just before the final whistle.

Evatt whose side sit third but have games in hand on leaders Portsmouth and second-placed Derby, said: “It is a huge win but every one is a huge win now.

“It is not always going to be amazing, beautiful, and aesthetically pleasing. You have to find different ways to win matches.

“The team stood up to be counted and that point last Saturday (a 1-1 draw with 10 men at Northampton) looks a very good one.

“We have backed it up now and we have 16 more huge games to go. We are in a very strong position.

“If we take care of our own business no one can stop us and touch us, which is what we want.

“So, I am delighted to win. We did the hard yards really well.

He continued: “Wycombe have only lost once since Boxing Day and they are on a good run of form.

“They have reverted to type a little bit and ask you lots of questions. But we stood up to be counted, magnificently at times.

“In the first half we rode our luck and looked a bit fearful. But the second half was much better.

“We created one of two good opportunities and defended the box a lot better until the last kick of the game.”

Wycombe manager Matt Bloomfield said: “We are frustrated not to take anything from the game because we created some good chances.

“We came up against a very good opponent and Ian Evatt has put a strong squad together. You can see with the amount of changes they can make and still be as strong as they are.

“But I am proud of the performance we put in. We came to go toe to toe and we did that.

“We just lacked a cutting edge in last third of the pitch. But we shouldn’t be negative on a night when we have played like we have.

“I am proud of the way the boys kept going. We rightfully got a goal because we had worked hard. It is nothing less than we deserved.

“It is just a shame it didn’t come five minutes earlier because had it done so we might have been able to get an equaliser.”

Captain Gethin Jones scored his first Sky Bet League One goal for almost a year to help promotion-chasing Bolton beat Wycombe 2-1.

The Australia international, recently returned from Asian Cup duties, netted a superb 32nd-minute header from Nat Ogbeta’s cross after the visitors had impressed early on.

Jones’ previous third tier goal had been another fine header on Valentine’s Day, 2023.

Bolton’s win was sealed by substitute Jon Dadi Bodvarsson in stoppage time, before Luke Leahy scored a penalty for the visitors.

Ian Evatt’s side also needed some vital interventions from goalkeeper Joel Coleman.

Coleman, handed a home league debut with Nathan Baxter injured, produced three first-half saves; the best of them denying Dale Taylor a fine solo goal.

Wycombe came close to a 70th minute equaliser but Taylor fired wide with just Coleman to beat and that was as close as the Chairboys came to rescuing a point.

Paris Maghoma almost doubled Bolton’s lead with a stinging drive before Bodvarsson made sure of the points from Kyle Dempsey’s assist in the first minute of time added on.

Coleman’s hopes of a clean sheet disappeared seven minutes later when Leahy converted his spot-kick, awarded after the goalkeeper had brought down substitute David Wheeler.

Ian Evatt spoke of the issues of forthcoming fixture congestion after Bolton’s game at Cambridge was abandoned.

Both head coaches agreed that referee David Rock made the correct decision in calling the game off after he consulted both Neil Harris and Evatt before leading the players off the pitch with only nine goalless minutes played.

The abandonment was confirmed 16 minutes later.

“I think we’ve got one Tuesday free until the end of the season, so that’s that gone,” Evatt said afterwards.

“It’s a challenge, it’s a test but there’s no way we could have played on that pitch.

“I think we’ve both got a free Tuesday two weeks from now, let’s just get it on as soon as we can.

“All I saw was what happened at Burton. The pitch was perfectly fine and then two hours later it was waterlogged.

“When I came I could see the level of the rainfall. It’s a really good pitch actually but when the pitches are as good as that it seemed to pool and waterlog really quickly.

“Once it started to pool it was only going to get worse.

“Both teams wanted to play tonight. The conditions suit probably one team more than the other, but that’s football.

“I think the referee made the right call.”

Cambridge boss Harris would have preferred the match to reach its conclusion.

He said: “From our perspective we wanted the game to be played because we thought the weather conditions sort of fell in our favour a little bit here against a really good football side.

“I understand the referee’s decision and the EFL’s decision and I’ve got no complaints about it. I just think it’s unfortunate. I thought it had the makings to be a really good game.

“I think you saw in the first nine minutes that was played, that there could have been goals at either end. I think one thing’s for sure, it wouldn’t have ended up 0-0.

“We could all see what was coming. You could see the ball just stop rolling. I think George Thomas ran past the ball at one stage because it had stopped.

“So you knew the moment was coming, you just hoped that the rain lays off a bit and the pitch has got time to recover.

“It’s not just the players, it’s the fans. How long do you wait while you leave the fans in the cold and wet?

“I’ve got no complaints with the decision. I’m disappointed, frustrated because we’re on a great run and I was really looking forward to the game.

“I thought the conditions tonight suited us to make it a real scrap. So I’m frustrated but accept it.”

Cambridge’s game with Bolton was abandoned after only nine minutes of play due to a waterlogged pitch.

Play was stopped while still 0-0, with referee David Rock taking the players off the pitch after consulting both head coaches.

After a delay of 16 minutes it was announced at 8.10pm that the decision had been taken for the game to be called off.

The only opening in the nine minutes that were played came for Cambridge, but Sullay Kaikai failed to connect with a volley when the ball fell to him centrally.

The U’s will hope conditions at the Abbey Stadium improve in time for them to host Cheltenham on Saturday.

Zac Ashworth scored for a second successive weekend to earn Bolton a 1-1 comeback draw against Skybet League One promotion rivals Barnsley.

But the Tykes will rue a series of missed chances before the West Brom loanee headed in a cross by substitute Aaron Collins after 64 minutes.

Bolton were beaten in last season’s third tier play-off semi-finals by the Oakwell outfit.

And they trailed after five minutes as Adam Phillips flicked on Barry Cotter’s long throw for Devante Cole’s 17th goal of the campaign.

Barnsley should have gone 2-0 up after 28 minutes as Josh Sheehan’s error gave Neill Collins’ side a four-on-two advantage but Phillips dragged his eventual shot wide.

Bolton continued to labour in the second half. They were indebted to keeper Nathan Baxter for three saves in quick succession from Cole, Phillips and John McAtee.

Boss Ian Evatt’s response saw Collins replace top scorer Dion Charles. And with his first touch the ex-Bristol Rovers star centred for Ashworth to rescue a point.

Collins almost won it for Wanderers but his deflected effort was tipped away by Liam Roberts.

Cheltenham boss Darrell Clarke was left “bewildered” after Victor Adeboyejo earned Bolton a controversial 1-0 Sky Bet League One victory.

Adeboyejo netted his eighth goal of the campaign after 24 minutes but Clarke and his players were convinced George Lloyd had equalised nine minutes into the second half.

Instead, referee Ben Speedie signalled offside against Town skipper Sean Long, even though his assistant Joe Simpson did not initially raise his flag. The two consulted before Lloyd’s effort was finally chalked off.

“The performance was good with chances and opportunities created,” said Clarke. “But I need to ask the referee why he disallowed a goal and the linesman didn’t give offside.

“I’m still bewildered by it to be honest. I’m going to ask for answers.

“It looked to me the referee has given offside. How does that work? I’m angry and frustrated.

“When you are coming to a top team like Bolton you need the rub of the green. I think they are going to finish in the top two at the end of the season.

“For me, my boys deserved a bit of that but it wasn’t to be.”

Cheltenham’s defeat leaves them 22nd and seven points from safety. But Clarke issued a defiant message.

“We are going to go toe-to-toe with everyone and have a right go until the end of the season. We’re not going to make things comfortable for any opposition.”

Bolton’s return to winning ways after last Saturday’s defeat at Leyton Orient sees them just one point off an automatic promotion place.

On the game’s potential turning point, Evatt said: “It was a brilliant decision by the ref.

“Darrell was furious at the time because the player was actually onside. But it was impacting players who started offside and blocked our defenders from recovering.

“They have impacted the action, so it was a fantastic decision.”

On his team’s below-par display, Evatt added: “Come the end of the season no one will remember the performance.

“The most important thing was the three points. Believe it or not that’s five wins out of six

“This league is hard, no one is going to make it easy for you. It’s amazing how one defeat can effect your psyche and mindset.

“It is finding a way to win because you can’t play well every week.

“We looked a bit jittery and nervous which I don’t really understand.

“The way to deal with that is to go for it even more and not try and go safe and do what we did tonight.

“We are not used to losing games, so we have to deal better with the losses.

“That win will do them a world of good.”

Striker Victor Adeboyejo’s eighth goal of the season earned promotion-chasing Bolton a hard-fought 1-0 Sky Bet League One victory over Cheltenham.

But Wanderers’ return to winning ways following last Saturday’s defeat at Leyton Orient was not without controversy.

George Lloyd believed he had cancelled out Adeboyejo’s 24th-minute opener nine minutes into the second half after his first effort was saved by Nathan Baxter.

However, referee Ben Speedie signalled offside before assistant referee Joe Simpson eventually raised his flag in confirmation. The two consulted before the initial decision was upheld.

Cheltenham boss Darrell Clarke was later booked after another decision went against his team.

Adeboyejo had not previously scored in 2024 until punishing Tom Bradbury’s defensive slip and coolly finishing from 18 yards.

But relegation-threatened Cheltenham proved tricky opponents in a fixture replayed from January 13 after the collapse and subsequent death of Bolton fan Iain Purslow.

Baxter saved from Rob Street while Tom Pett fired wide before the home side went in front. Curtis Davies lashed a second-half effort into the side-netting while Bolton survived a triple stoppage-time shot barrage.

Bolton boss Ian Evatt gave an honest assessment following his side’s 1-0 defeat to Leyton Orient in Sky Bet League One.

Promotion hopefuls Bolton, who started the match two points off the top of the table and with two matches in hand, should have taken the lead in the first half when leading scorer Dion Charles headed against a post.

However, the visitors paid the price when Dan Agyei netted the only goal of the game in the 54th minute, his third in as many matches, to give Orient the points.

Evatt, who was impressed with his team’s display in Tuesday’s FA Cup replay loss to Luton, said: “I’m very disappointed and I think we got what we deserved.

“They didn’t create lots but played the conditions better and showed more fight, more determination and a willingness to do the ugly side of the game better than we did.

“Some of our decision making and execution was baffling after Tuesday, when it was the opposite.

“I made five substitutions but I wish I could have made 11. If I could have made 11 changes then I would have.”

He continued: “I wasn’t happy with anybody. We made the wrong choices and showed the wrong body language.

“Very rarely am I disappointed with that group of players to the extent I am today.

“Having said all that we still had the best two chances in the game, which you cannot afford to miss. Both gilt edge, right in front of goal with no pressure and one on one. We saw that at Portsmouth and we saw that again today.”

In contrast, Orient assistant manager Matt Harrold was understandably upbeat after his team stretched their unbeaten league run to five matches, a run that includes four victories.

He said: “We’re really thrilled with the result. We’ve looked a really good team (in the) last six games.

“We need to stay aggressive and keep it going. We were really positive, it was a dominant performance despite them having the best two chances of the game.

“We had to stay patient with Dan Agyei having picked up the long-term injury pre-season but his return has been a massive boost for everyone.

“We need to keep him fit and he can go from strength to strength. He’s got that strength, power and unpredictability so we need him to keep going.

“Credit to the overall team though. We’re working hard and stopping the opposition from higher up the pitch, which means we’re not conceding too many chances.

“The big emphasis has been ‘let’s get back to what we are on the front foot, physical and aggressive’.

“There are a lot of games in February and March and the squad is going to be needed and we will attack each game as it comes.”

Luton boss Rob Edwards believes his side will benefit from facing Premier League opponents in the next round of the FA Cup after making life difficult for themselves before overcoming League One Bolton 2-1 in Tuesday night’s third round replay.

Having been held to a goalless draw at Kenilworth Road nine days ago, Luton fell behind to Dion Charles’ 11th minute strike at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.

But Tahith Chong swiftly equalised before Chiedozie Ogbene’s second-half goal set up a tie against the winners of Wednesday’s replay between Everton and Crystal Palace.

Luton avoided the upset but Edwards admitted his side had let their standards drop when facing lower league opposition.

“Tonight was all about winning,” Edwards said. “We weren’t at our best. We were a little bit sloppy in too many moments and probably allowed them to build and grow in the game a little bit.

“Credit to them, there was a little bit of sloppiness but overall I’m very, very pleased that we’re through.”

“I think in a way it’s better for us to play a Premier League team in the next round, we know we’re going to have to be full tilt. We dropped in the last two games and we can’t do that, we’ll get punished.

“Bolton are a big, big football club. But when we’re favourites I think we’ve taken our foot off the gas in certain moments and we can’t do that. We’re not good enough to do that.”

Bolton, two points off the top of League One with three games in hand, played with confidence and had chances to retake the lead before Ogbene struck, while also having a second-half strike from Charles ruled out for offside.

“It was a difficult night,” Edwards added. “It’s cup football and it was never going to be easy. They’re playing very well, they’re used to winning.

“It’s a cold night, snowing, the recipe is there for an upset, or for us to go out. I’m really pleased we found a way to equalise quickly.”

Before kick-off there was a minute’s silence in memory of Iain Purslow, the 71-year-old Bolton supporter who died after being taken ill during Saturday’s League One match against Cheltenham, which was abandoned midway through the first half.

“I’m proud of the club and I’m proud of my team,” Bolton manager Ian Evatt said. “We wanted to pay him respect and to pay the family respect.

“It’s not about how we feel. It’s all about the family and their feelings. Hopefully now they get the time to mourn. We’ve paid our respects and I think they just need peace and quiet to come to terms with a really sad loss.

“I thought we started the game very fast and very well and got ourselves in front. Against Premier League opposition if you make mistakes you get punished and we made a couple tonight and they were punished. We would have liked to be in the lead a little bit longer and to stabilise it.

“In the second half I thought the team were outstanding for large spells and dominated against a very good team. I’ve watched a lot of Luton, they cause teams problems and tonight we caused them problems.

“It’s about trying to replicate that for the rest of the season and if we do that we’ll achieve our ambitions.”

Luton had to come from behind to see off League One Bolton at the second attempt as Rob Edwards’ side just about came through their FA Cup third round replay with a 2-1 win at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.

Having held their Premier League opponents goalless nine days ago, Bolton stunned the Hatters when Dion Charles put them ahead 11 minutes in.

But Tahith Chong swiftly equalised before Chiedozie Ogbene’s second-half goal set up a tie against the winners of Wednesday’s replay between Everton and Crystal Palace.

Before kick-off there was a minute’s silence in memory of Iain Purslow, the 71-year-old Bolton supporter who died after being taken ill during Saturday’s League One match against Cheltenham, which was abandoned midway through the first half.

The hosts then snatched an early lead as they hit Luton on the counter-attack.

Will Forrester’s pass forward found the run of Victor Adeboyejo, who skipped away from Teden Mengi before cutting the ball back for Charles, too easily getting goal-side of Reece Burke, to sweep the ball home.

But Luton needed only four minutes to equalise. Ross Barkley, taking his place in a strong Hatters XI which showed five changes from Friday’s 1-1 draw just up the road at Burnley, dispossessed Josh Dacres-Cogley just outside the Bolton box and Luton swiftly moved the ball left.

Jordan Clark played it through to Chong and the former Manchester United player tucked it through the legs of Forrester and into the far corner.

Luton remained on the front foot. Chong saw a shot deflected wide before Carlton Morris, Friday’s goalscorer, blazed wastefully over.

Four-time FA Cup winners Bolton, only two points from the top of League One with three games in hand, came into this replay unbeaten in six and looked confident any time they had a chance to attack.

Adeboyejo went for the audacious just before half-time, spotting Luton’s cup goalkeeper Tim Krul off his line and taking aim from the edge of the centre circle. Krul desperately back-pedalled, doing just enough to stop the ball under his crossbar before gathering at the second attempt.

Both sides went close in a frantic start to the second half. Paris Maghoma stung the palms of Krul before Luton went to the other end. Clark’s bouncing strike struck the post and both Chong and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu were denied by smart saves from Baxter before the danger was cleared.

Bolton responded immediately, and Barkley made a superb block to deny Charles from close range as he tried to turn in Adeboyejo’s cross.

It was Bolton’s best spell of the match but it came to an abrupt end in the 57th minute when Morris fired in a precise low cross from the left and Ogbene could hardly miss as he slammed home his first FA Cup goal.

Bolton thought they had levelled in the 74th minute when Barkley was caught in possession and Charles turned in a low cross from the right, but after a moment’s pause the offside flag went up and Luton safely saw the game out.

Gary Cahill insisted he was never going to turn down the chance to join Chelsea after finally completing his £7million move from Bolton on this day in 2012.

Cahill put the finishing touches to a reported five-and-a-half-year contract, having spent more than a fortnight wrangling over personal terms that threatened to scupper the deal.

But the England defender suggested he had no intention of walking away from the protracted negotiations between his representatives and Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay.

“Chelsea is a massive club, it is a club that looks to win trophies season in, season out and it is a big opportunity for me to be a part of that,” Cahill told the Blues’ official website at the time.

“Opportunities like this, you can’t turn down.”

Cahill reportedly settled on wages of £80,000-per-week – £20,000 less than the player was said to have demanded during initial talks.

He then travelled to London to undergo a medical and watched his new club’s 1-0 Premier League win over Sunderland.

Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas said: “He has good technical abilities, which is important in the way we want to play and to implement our philosophy.

“Competition will be tight for him, but we brought him in to become better as a team.”

There were no shortage of admirers for Cahill, with Arsenal seeing a bid rejected and Tottenham also going close to landing him.

But Chelsea were the only serious January transfer window bidders, with Bolton opting to cash in on a player in the final six months of his contract.

Cahill spent seven-and-a-half years at Stamford Bridge, making almost 300 appearances in all competitions and winning the Premier League twice, the Champions League, two FA Cups, two Europa League titles and the EFL Cup.

Bolton’s League One clash with Cheltenham was abandoned after 29 minutes due to a medical emergency in the crowd.

Referee Sunny Singh Gill took the players off the field just after 3.30pm as medical staff went to help the supporter.

The match was officially abandoned 30 minutes later.

Bolton said the fan had suffered a suspected cardiac arrest and was taken to hospital.

A club statement read: “A supporter in the East Stand suffered a suspected cardiac arrest around 30 minutes into the game at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.

“The man was treated by medical staff and paramedics at the scene, while the two teams were taken off the pitch.

“Following sustained attempts to revive the patient, he was taken to the first-aid room at the stadium and the match was abandoned shortly after 4pm.

“The supporter was subsequently taken to hospital and the thoughts of everyone at Bolton Wanderers are with him and his family.

“An update on the supporter’s condition will follow.

“Details regarding a new date and ticket refunds/arrangements for the fixture will be released in due course.”

Cheltenham added: “Today’s fixture against Bolton Wanderers has been abandoned due to a medical emergency in the crowd.

“The thoughts of everyone at Cheltenham Town Football Club are with the individual involved and their loved ones at this time.”

The game was still goalless when play was halted. Kyle Dempsey had fired over for Bolton at one end while Cheltenham’s George Lloyd was denied by home goalkeeper Nathan Baxter.

Bolton ended the day still two points off the top of the table after leaders Portsmouth suffered a surprise home defeat, while Cheltenham remained three points from safety.