WANDERERS romped to their biggest win under Steven Schumacher’s tutelage with a comfortable 3-0 win against AFC Wimbledon.
The Dons did have Marcus Browne sent off early in the second half for a ludicrous challenge on Max Conway, and then went down to nine in the dying embers of game when Joe Lewis got a second yellow card.
But the Whites had been on top for the vast majority of the afternoon, and having been frustrated with four consecutive 1-1 draws in their last four games, it was pleasing to see the handbrake being taken off.
Wanderers made four changes from the side that had drawn at Blackpool last weekend, with international duo Eoin Toal and Josh Sheehan unavailable, Chris Forino and Xavier Simons came into the XI. Thierry Gale replaced Ibrahim Cissoko on the left and Joel Randall came in for Ethan Erhahon, with Aaron Morley dropping deeper into midfield.
The first half got off to an inauspicious start for Bolton, who gave away a few too many cheap free kicks around their own penalty box and were nearly punished when an unmarked Matty Stevens headed against the post in the fifth minute.
Bolton responded and after Amario Cozier-Duberry’s shot looped off a defender and on to the roof of the net, Forino narrowly missed turning a free kick from Morley in at the far post.
Randall squeezed a shot just past the post and just as Wanderers looked to be running short on ideas of how to cut through a well-drilled Wimbledon side, they came up with the goods from another set piece.
Forino climbed to flick Morley’s delivery on to the post and Burstow reacted quicky to get in front of his marker to prod home his fourth goal of the campaign.
Cozier-Duberry might have made it two, slashing at Randall’s cross and then pulling his own ball back to the penalty spot with no Bolton shirt nearby.
Burstow had another shot blocked by Joe Lewis just before half time after some good work from Gale – but Schumacher will have been pleased to see his side continue to create, even though Wimbledon had tried hard to contain.
The visitors had a couple of half-chances to get themselves level after the break, Alistair Smith flicking a header at goal, gathered by Teddy Sharman-Lowe, and Miles Hippolyte driving a close-range free kick into the wall.
The Dons’ hopes faded once Browne was given a red card for a dreadful challenge on Conway, who thankfully emerged unscathed.
From there, Bolton exploited the extra space and doubled their lead three minutes later when Dacres-Cogley fed Cozier-Duberry to tuck a shot inside the far post .
The third arrived quickly, Conway driving forward and hitting a scuffed shot tidied up by a clever touch from Randall which sent it into the bottom corner.
At that point, there was still a quarter of the game to play and Bolton were looking hungry for more.
Nathan Bishop made saves from Xav Simons and subs Ibrahim Cissoko and Richard Taylor, while Sam Dalby and Marcus Forss both spurned chances from close range.
Wimbledon went down to nine men when Joe Lewis made an untidy challenge on Forss to earn a second yellow from ref Drysdale.
If there was any hint of disappointment, it was that Bolton didn’t show more ruthlessness in the closing stages to make their numerical advantage count even more.
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