Wanderers produced a result for the ages in their 5,000th league game. 

Dion Charles scored a hat-trick and captain Ricardo Santos grabbed his first two goals for the club in a stunning performance that puts Ian Evatt’s side fourth in the table. 

Peterborough, relegated from the Championship last season, were a side in form and talking about a promotion charge of their own after going into the game with a 100 per cent record under Darren Ferguson, appointed in January. 

But Wanderers were ruthless, taking their chances in an ice-cold manner to register one of their best away wins in recent times. 

Charles became the first Bolton player to score a league hat-trick away from home since John Thomas in 1988, and no player had claimed the matchball since Joe Mason in 2014. 

Wanderers spent so much of the first half with backs to the wall, defending manfully against a mobile home attack. 

James Trafford pulled off a fine early save to push Nathan Thompson’s powerful drive around the post and then came up with a vital punch from the corner to take the ball off Ryan Kent’s head. 

Within a couple of minutes, Bolton had forged ahead. Aaron Morley’s dangerous free kick was bundled towards goal by Santos and then half-cleared but when Gethin Jones struck a follow—up shot, Santos got enough on it to divert the ball away from defenders on the line. 

Peterborough reacted well. Ephron Mason-Clark had a shot blocked by Trafford and Kwame Poku’s low cross was scrambled clear by Eoin Toal in front of his own goal. 

Santos made another crucial intervention in the six yard box after another run from Poku and Jack Taylor screwed a shot wide as the pressure started to build. 

Wanderers had rare chances to string any good football together put Lee and Toal picked a way through on the right to help create a good chance for Shola Shoretire, whose shot was charged down by Ronnie Edwards. 

Clarke-Harris had two good chances to bring his side level, glancing one wide from Mason-Clark’s centre and then nodding wide after a corner when it seemed easier to score. 

Hector Kyprianou’s deflected shot dropped inches wide of the post and Taylor had another blocked right in front of goal.  

Bolton made Posh pay for their profligacy. Within moments, Shoretire wriggled past one player inside the box before being tripped by Ronnie Edwards. Ref Lee Swabey pointed to the spot but then made taker Charles wait an eternity to take the penalty as Posh players protested that the ball was not positioned correctly. 

Charles calmly slotted his 15th goal of the season into the bottom corner – giving Bolton a measure of comfort they could have only dreamed about. 

But the best was yet to come. 

Almost immediately after the break, Gethin Jones surged down the right and produced a fine ball, turned in from close range by Charles. 

Delirium behind Will Norris’s goal had barely had time to die down when ref Swabey pointed for a second penalty of the game, after Shoretire had been barged from behind. 

Charles kept his nerve impressively once again to claim his hat-trick and a 17th goal of the season. 

Peterborough kept pressing. Trafford remained impressively resolute whenever he was called upon. 

And then on a day where anything seemed possible, Santos scored again. He had waited 117 games for his first Bolton goal but then mopped up from close range after a fine cross from Morley was flicked on by sub Cameron Jerome. 

Mason-Clark had several late pot-shots trying to get the home side on the scoreboard, including one acrobatic volley which looped on to the top of the net.