WANDERERS came back down to earth with a bump after a humbling 4-0 home defeat against Wigan Athletic.

Boasting a 100 per cent record in their opening three games, Ian Evatt’s side were flattened by their neighbours as Charlie Wyke and Stephen Humphrys claimed two goals apiece.

Bolton had plenty of possession, even registered more shots on goal, but it counted for nothing as they were bested in a rampant first half for passion and fight.

Wigan boxed clever after the break and added a fourth goal to their tally to give just under 4,000 travelling fans a memorable afternoon.

After the midweek win against Fleetwood, Evatt brought Josh Sheehan and Aaron Morley back into midfield, also opting for Dan Nlundulu to replace the suspended Dion Charles.

The visitors’ aggression was evident from the off, and referee Tom Reeves proved more lenient than some of his recent predecessors, allowing the game to flow.

It took 12 minutes for the Latics to make a breakthrough, Jack Iredale conceding a soft corner played in by Tom Pearce and driven in from close range by an unmarked Wyke.

Victor Adeboyejo had a chance to equalise, stabbing a shot straight at keeper Sam Tickle after getting on the end of Josh Dacres-Cogley’s low cross but Bolton looked lethargic and it wasn’t long before Wigan cut through again.

Callum McManaman and Callum Lang had gone close moments earlier but Humphrys grabbed his first of the afternoon with an angled shot after Gethin Jones was wrestled off the ball on the edge of the box and Wanderers failed to snuff out the danger.

At the other end, defender Kell Watts summed up Wigan’s more committed approach, making a sprawling block from Aaron Morley.

Wanderers fell further behind in stoppage time with another woeful defensive effort. Lang latched on to a ball over the top, brought it inside the penalty box unchecked and with keeper Baxter way off his line the ball was moved on to Humphrys to score from the angle.

Morley was replaced at the break by Carlos Mendes Gomes, whose performance for the next 45 minutes was just about the only reason for optimism all afternoon.

Wanderers could have dragged themselves back into the game after creating a few good chances in the opening 10 minutes of the half. Dacres-Cogley passed a shot wide from 12 yards, Nlundulu and Williams both went close and Pearce made an important clearance on his own goal-line as Adeboyejo looked to turn in a corner.

The fourth goal summed up a hapless afternoon, as Baxter got a hand to Wyke’s powerful shot but failed to stop it bouncing into the empty net.

Wanderers fans left in their droves at that stage. Jon Dadi Bodvarsson made a welcome return from the bench but Wigan were in party mood by the end – their fans enjoying every moment of a second successive 4-0 thrashing.

Evatt must pick his players up for another potentially bruising battle at Burton Albion next weekend and hope this result does not damage momentum too badly.