THIS was better by Wolves, but the cheer with which the drained home supporters greeted the final whistle was one of weary relief. For all the energy of a start that brought the home team an early goal, and a long-distance strike of real quality from the Serbian Nenad Milijas which put them two clear, Mick McCarthy's team were desperately hanging on at the finish.
It appears these two sides will have to rely on the failings of others to survive.
While acknowledging the fortune involved in the opener, McCarthy felt the win, Wolves' first in nine league matches, was well-earned. "We deserved a little luck because we haven't had much this season, and despite getting embroiled in a bit of a scrap at the end, we should have had it won a long time before they got one back," said the Yorkshireman, who revealed his players had analysed the video of last week's miserable home defeat to Birmingham City and reached their own conclusions.
Certainly they began with far more energy than shown against the Blues, and their frantic efforts gained a quick reward when Milijas' free kick was flicked on by Christophe Berra and swept past Bolton goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen by Jody Craddock.
Replays showed the central defender was offside but his fourth goal in five games stood.
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Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, prolific in the Championship last season, should have made it two but he needs too much time at this level.
Milijas, by contrast, is beginning to look promising, and a long-range volley straight at Jaaskelainen was a sign of things to come.
With the excellent Kevin Doyle rarely wasting a ball, Wolves kept attacking, and it was almost half an hour before Bolton forced a save from Wolves goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann.
Nearing the break, however, there were clear signs of nerves in the Wolves defence, and it was a similar story in the second half. Nails were already being chewed when Milijas picked up the ball in midfield and from close to 30 yards hit a drive that swerved beyond Jaaskelainen as he dived to his right.
That should have been enough but, ignoring McCarthy's angry gesturing, Wolves began to defend deep.
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Matthew Taylor, set up by Chung Yong Lee, should have scored before substitute Johan Elmander poked the ball past Hahnemann from close range, and Ivan Klasnic (twice), Tamir Cohen and Gretar Steinsson all had chances to equalise.
"You can accept a wrong decision if it's close, but Craddock was two yards offside, it was a shocking decision," said Gary Megson, the Bolton manager.
"At the same time we left it until we were 2-0 down before performing as we should have done from minute one."
Star man: Nenad Milijas (Wolves)
Yellow cards: Wolves: Stearman, Hahnemann Bolton: McCann
Referee: C Foy Attendance: 27,362
WOLVES: Hahnemann 7, Stearman 5, Craddock 7, Berra 7, Ward 6, Milijas 8, Henry 7, Edwards 6 (Mancienne 84min), Jarvis 6, Doyle 7, Ebanks-Blake 5 (Maierhofer 79min)
BOLTON: Jaaskelainen 6, Steinsson 6, Cahill 6, A O'Brien 6, Samuel 5 (Elmander 71min), Lee 7, Gardner 6, McCann 6, Cohen 6, Taylor 6, Klasnic 6
World Cup watch
England: Gary Cahill (Bolton) struggled with Kevin Doyle's movement
England's rivals: USA: Hahnemann (Wolves) solid before conceding late
Serbia: Milijas' (Wolves) sweetly-struck free kick set up opener, and superb 30-yard drive sealed win