Wolves 2 Bolton 3

Rock-bottom Wolves now look relegation certs after an incident-packed defeat to Bolton left them six points from safety.

For the second successive week, they led but ended up losing as Michael Kightly's richly-deserved 53rd-minute opener was cancelled out by Martin Petrov's controversial penalty won by former Wolves midfielder Mark Davies on 63, although Roger Johnson looked to have made some contact.

Worse was to follow for Terry Connor's beleaguered side as Marcos Alonso (80) put Bolton ahead then substitute Kevin Davies scored an easy third (85) before Matt Jarvis ensured a grandstand finish two minutes later.

The scoreline masks a superb Wolves performance for the first hour.

Steven Fletcher saw a header superbly saved on the line by inspired keeper Adam Bogdan and also headed against the bar in a one-sided first half.

But once Bolton got themselves level, it was a different game and the home side folded.

Wolves have now lost seven home league games in a row – the worst sequence in the club's history and taken one point out of 18 under Connor.

Connor made two changes to the side that were beaten 2-1 at Norwich last week.

Back came David Davis after his broken rib 13 days ago in place of Eggert Jonsson, while there was also a recall for Sylvan Ebanks-Blake for Kevin Doyle, who dropped to the bench.

Karl Henry returned to the 18 but only made the bench, presumably because he wasn't considered quite ready to start after his hamstring injury.

Wolves started brightly in front of a vibrant Molineux and remained the side in the ascendancy throughout the first period, during which they forced 10 corners.

Ebanks-Blake had the first chance after five minutes when keeper Adam Bogdan blocked his low shot after the striker wriggled into a shooting position when Steven Fletcher hooked a deep free kick back into the danger area.

Nothing had been seen of Bolton as an attacking force in the early minutes until Martin Petrov got the better of Richard Stearman, but the Wolves defender recovered to take the sting out of his shot.

The recalled Ebanks-Blake had his sights on goal again but drilled comfortably wide from distance midway through the half.

Petrov was the dangerman for Bolton's next attack just after bthe half hour but he scuffed his volleyed attempt after getting ahead og Roger Johnson to David Ngog's flick-on when he beat Stearman in the air to Bogdan's kick.

Wolves then went desperately close to scoring when Fletcher forced a superb one-handed save from a header after Jarvis crossed from the left.

There were then bizarre scenes as keeper Wayne Hennessey and Johnson squared up to each other after the captain appeared to mock the keeper's decision not to come out for an aerial ball.

The pair went head to head and continued to argue after referee Jonathan Moss intervened.

Any accusations of Wolves airing their dirty linen in public were put on the backburner as the home side continued to dominate.

Fletcher went even closer, beating Bogdan with a goalbound header for once only for Ryo Miyaichi to nod off the line from Jarvis' corner.

Jarvis was the architect again as Wolves continued to press up to the break.

This time he cut the ball back for Ebanks-Blake, but the striker could only sweep a tame effort into the South Bank from 17 yards.

Wolves went desperately close again just before half-time when Fletcher's towering header hit the top of the bar and went over from Kightly's cross.

The home side started the second half as they finished the first – on top.

They created another chance when Johnson headed straight at Bogdan from yet another Jarvis cross.

But Bolton were starting to become an increasing threat and former Wolves loan defender David Wheater headed inches after beating Stearman at the far post to Ryo Miyaichi's cross.

Two minutes later however Wolves took the lead when Kightly cut inside Sam Ricketts on the right before firing into the far corner left footed past Bogdan.

Bolton levelled in controversial circumstances from Petrov's pernalty when Mark Davies went down far too easily when Johnson lunged in – but there was contact.

Marcos Alonso put Bolton ahead when he bundled home from close range after David Ngog's header hit the bar.

And substitute Kevin Davies appeared to put the game beyond Wolves with Bolton's third when he waltzed past Johnson before slotting into the far corner of the net.

Two minutes later Jarvis's second goal in as many games gave Wolves hope when he fired home on the angle after Fletcher flicked on Hennessey's long kick.

But it was too little, too late and Wolves are now staring relegation in the face.