WANDERERS dropped to sixth spot in League One as Ipswich Town inflicted their first home defeat since October.

George Hirst and Cameron Burgess did the damage for the Tractor Boys as they punished a sloppy Bolton performance to continue their automatic promotion chase and set a new club record on consecutive clean sheets.

Dion Charles missed a penalty early in the second half – a major turning point in the game – but Wanderers can have little complaint with the result, given they were never at their best on the day.

The only upside for Ian Evatt’s side on a miserable day was that seventh-placed Wycombe were also beaten at Burton Albion, the Chairboys now six points behind trailing by seven on goal difference.

Wanderers thought they had done enough to negotiate a nervy first half and stay on level terms when a loose pass from Luke Mbete left them vulnerable to the counter and Wes Burns surged down the right, swinging in a cross which was finished well with a crisp first time shot from George Hirst.

It had always looked like a game where a mistake would be punished, with both sides taking gambles in possession to crack the opponents’ press.

Before the goal, the Whites had probably had the chance of the game. Bradley burst through on the right, beat Leif Davis, and brought a good save out of Walton at his near post.

Ipswich put plenty of pressure on the Bolton goal, Conor Chapliin pulling a shot wide from the edge of the box and Ricardo Santos making two vital blocks to deny Nathan Broadhead from close range.

Bolton started the second half well, with Morley spraying a fine ball cross-field for Jones, whose near-post cross was stabbed just wide by Adeboyejo.

Within a few minutes they had a penalty. Mbete drove deep into Ipswich territory and found Bradley on the edge of the box, he beat his man and just as it looked like he had ran out of space, he drew a foul from Cameron Burgess.

Dion Charles had never missed from the spot for Bolton but after a long delay as Ipswich players bickered over the placing of the ball, his shot low to Christian Walton’s left was pushed away.

After their initial burst faded, the mistakes in possession started to creep in once more. And it was a loose pass from Gethin Jones which put his team in trouble on 68 minutes, Broadhead forcing James Trafford into a save at his near post. From the corner, Cameron Burgess powered home a header to make it two.

Sub Marcus Harness should have made it three when he connected with another dangerous ball from wide man Burns, but could only flash a shot wide.

Walton came to his side’s rescue once again with eight minutes to go, palming a header from Jerome around his post at full stretch. In truth, many of the home fans had already filed out of the building by that stage.