IT just got better and better for Bruce Rioch’s First Division Wanderers. They had already won famous FA Cup replays at Liverpool and Everton in the previous 12 months and now it was Arsenal’s turn to feel the heat.

They became the most feared giant-killers of their day, and with the fifth round draw giving them a home tie against another Premier League side, Aston Villa, they were suddenly being tipped to go all the way.

They were also the centre of transfer attention with talented starlets Alan Stubbs and Jason McAteer top of the wish lists of a raft of top flight clubs.

And no wonder considering the character and class they showed in taking apart the most formidable cup team of the day.

Arsenal were third in the Premiership, held the FA Cup and League Cup, were England’s sole survivors in Europe and had lost only one of their previous 28 cup ties.

They were also clear favourites to finish the job after leaving Burnden with a 2-2 draw, but they were systematically frustrated then taken apart by Rioch’s raiders.

George Graham’s side were undone on 20 minutes when John McGinaly put Wanderers ahead and although Alan Smith equalised 15 minutes later, the Whites always looked capable of springing another surprise result.

It went to extra-time, giving the misfiring Gunners a chance to succeed where they had failed so miserably in the previous 90 minutes.

But the extra half hour saw Wanderers at their clinical best: McAteer put them ahead for the second time and with five minutes left, Walker – only recently back in action after a lengthy injury lay-off – hammered the final nail in Arsenal’s coffin.

It could have been even more convincing had Tony Kelly not been ordered to re-take a free-kick after beating David Seaman with his first attempt.

More than 4,000 Bolton fans at the Clock End celebrated what was arguably the club’s greatest knockout triumph since the 1958 FA Cup win at Wembley.

“It was a bigger win than either Liverpool or Everton,” jubilant captain Phil Brown declared.

Arsenal: Seaman; Dixon, Bould, Adams, Winterburn; Parlour, Smith, Hillier (Keown 33), Merson, Wright (McGoldrick 70), Campbell.

Wanderers: Davison; Brown, Seagraves, Stubbs, Phillips; Lee, Kelly, McAteer, Patterson (Walker 72); McGinlay, Coyle.