AARON Collins grabbed his first goal for Bolton Wanderers as they completed a league double over Cambridge United.

Bouncing back from defeats at Blackpool and Wigan Athletic in commanding style, Ian Evatt’s side looked in complete control throughout, perhaps their only disappointment being that the margin of victory was not greater.

George Thomason set the ball rolling with a low first half drive ad Collins made the game safe with a fine finish midway through the second half, his first strike since signing from Bristol Rovers in the January transfer window.

Collins had been the only change to the side after defeat at the DW Stadium, the Welshman coming in to replace the injured Carlos Mendes Gomes.

He was able to celebrate his first league goal since October – and first of any kind since November – on a day that will do his confidence no harm at all.

Cambridge’s gameplan was simple and achingly familiar. The men in gold sat deep, countered quickly, and wasted every second they possibly could, much to the frustration of the home supporters.

Bolton coped well. Tempo was generally good, and though they should have been ahead well before the 35th minute they rarely dropped into safety mode.

Considering the pressure that had built around the game, Wanderers can take credit for the way they went about their business. Just seven minutes in, Josh Dacres-Cogley somehow crashed a shot against the crossbar from six yards out having got on the end of a low cross from Collins.

It was the kind of miss that might have dented confidence – particularly as Cambridge almost snatched the lead on the break almost immediately. Josh Sheehan was grappled on halfway by Jack Lankester but referee Ollie Yates played on, and Sulley Kaikai nearly profited for the second time in a fortnight with a deflected shot.

That was it for the visitors in an attacking sense, Bolton resuming their policy of chipping away at the defensive veneer with the ball. Dacres-Cogley brought a save from Jack Stevens and Collins couldn’t sort his feet out after a Nat Ogbeta cross dropped to him at close range. Thankfully his fortunes would improve later on.

The pressure continued and everyone was chipping in - even Ricardo Santos forced Stevens into a save with a 20-yard drive.

Thomason made the breakthrough, and a deserved one at that. With so many Cambridge men camped in the penalty box, someone had to get creative, and Thomason took the responsibility with a pinpoint shot into the bottom corner, his fifth goal of the season.

Wanderers pushed for the security of a second, Maghoma had an effort blocked and Cambridge defenders hacked away a couple of good crosses from Dacres-Cogley and Jones on the right.

Cambridge will look at one chance at the start of the second half as their big moment to get back into the game. Danny Andrew’s long throw was cleared towards the edge of the box and Josh Brophy sliced a shot narrowly wide.

Bolton went back on the attack, Adeboyejo, Collins and Ogbeta flashing shots at goal, the visitors unable to get out of their own half. The moment of real quality arrived on 66 minutes, however, as Maghoma found Collins with a perfect pass and the Welshman lifted his shot over the advancing keeper to send the ball bouncing into the net.

One acrobatic celebration later, and the points were safe.

Wanderers were offered the luxury of resting a couple of players with Tuesday’s trip to Barnsley in mind but Josh Sheehan – who needed just one yellow card to serve a two-game ban – stayed out there as chief architect.

There was a welcome return after injury for Randell Williams, his first appearance since January 23, and a relatively stress-free conclusion for Evatt’s side, who can now refocus for a big test at Oakwell in midweek.