Substitute Thomas Hitzlsperger steered Aston Villa to their first away win in the Premiership this season with a dramatic late goal in their 2-1 win at the Reebok Stadium.
The German midfielder latched on to a cross from Carlton Cole to thump and unstoppable shot beyond Andy Oakes on his debut.
Bolton were stunned as they were on the verge of going third in the table.
The home side took the lead through El-Hadji Diouf only for Gavin McCann to equalise and set up a rousing finale.
Gary Speed captained Bolton after recovering from the Achilles injury he suffered in the draw against Middlesbrough last Sunday.
But they had a scare in the 11th minute when Oakes misjudged the flight of Nolberto Solano's corner but Radhi Jaidi tidied up and cleared the danger.
Villa found themselves on the back foot in the 17th minute after Nicky Hunt picked out Henrik Pedersen on the edge of the area.
He cleverly chested the ball back into the path of Speed, only for the former Wales midfielder to slice a shot wide of the post.
Bolton made the breakthrough in the 20th minute with Diouf's second goal for the club since arriving from Liverpool on loan.
There seemed little danger when Kevin Nolan played the ball into the area but the Senegal international stuck out his foot and diverted a shot past the stranded Thomas Sorensen.
Nolan then took a pass from Kevin Davies in his stride only to fire wide of the target.
Lee Hendrie picked out Ulises De La Cruz in a good position on the right wing for Villa in the 30th minute.
He cut inside the area but his weak shot failed to test Bolton goalkeeper Oakes.
Nolan and Diouf were causing Villa problems with their willingness to take men on and the home side were playing some good football.
Davies and Pedersen were putting in sold shifts while Speed was showing no ill effects from his Achilles injury.
Hendrie was working hard trying to get the visitors going and they drew level five minutes before half-time in their first real attack.
The midfielder delivered a superb cross into the area and McCann stole a yard to flick a header beyond Oakes.
It was McCann's first goal of the season and he savoured the moment as did the Villa supporters.
It was game on with Villa growing in confidence after McCann's clever goal.
Bolton, however, were determined to restore their advantage before half-time and poured forward.
Hunt tried his luck on goal from distance in stoppage-time but his effort drifted well wide.
Bolton began the second half brightly and Diouf clipped the ball into the path of Pedersen.
The Danish striker rattled in a shot after 49 minutes which spun off Jlloyd Samuel and away to safety.
Bolton kept up the pressure and Speed tested Sorensen with a header following a deep free-kick from Bruno N'Gotty.
A mistake by De La Cruz gave Bolton a great chance of regaining their advantage in the 57th minute.
He played a ball into the centre circle that was picked up by the alert Pedersen.
Pedersen showed a good turn of speed to race clear only for Sorensen to block his effort.
It was a much more open game now and Juan Pablo Angel cut through the Bolton defence beating four men in the process before releasing Nolberto Solano.
However, Angel's good work and initiative came to nothing as Solano delivered a poor cross.
Then Pedersen cracked in a shot from 20 yards that clear Sorensen's crossbar.
Villa manager David O'Leary decided to switch things around after 63 minutes bring on Hitzlsperger for the ineffective Peter Whittingham in midfield.
Hitzlsperger was quickly into the action but failed to test Oakes with a shot from 20 yards.
Carlton Cole then carved out a great chance for Villa by releasing Hendrie in the six-yard area but his touch let him down and the ball ran away from him.
Villa almost took the lead in the 79th minute when Hitzlsperger crossed the ball into the path of Cole but his header cleared the crossbar.
Then in the 82nd minute a header from Diouf following Nolan's cross came back off the post with Sorensen beaten.
N'Gotty got away from his marker only to head over from six yards following Diouf's corner.
Then Hitzlsperger struck to send Bolton to their first home defeat of the season.
