Denny Landzaat netted an important equaliser but Bolton took their chances when it counted as Latics were defeated for the first time at the Reebok Stadium.
Manager Steve Bruce could not believe his eyes as a defensive mistake gave the opposition an easy start for the second consecutive weekend. Within three minutes of the kick-off Paul Scharner had headed into his own net past Chris Kirkland as he misjudged an El-Hadji Diouf cross to give Wanderers an early lead.
But Wanderers were guilty of poor defending themselves eleven minutes later as they allowed Denny Landzaat to equalise. Emmerson Boyce's cross was poorly cleared by Abdoulaye Meite, and the ball fell to the Dutchman who had the easy task and slotting the ball home from the edge of the penalty area.
In the 22nd minute referee Martin Atkinson awarded a penalty to Bolton for a handball, although replays failed to show any obvious foul against a Latics player. Nicolas Anelka stepped up to take the spot kick, but thankfully for Latics, the French striker blasted the ball over the bar!
However, Wanderers did regain the lead eight minutes before the break on the counter attack as Anelka received a Nicky Hunt throughball and despite the penalty being crowded with Latics shirts, he still found space to square the ball to Kevin Nolan, who side-footed the ball into the net from close range.
Bolton increased their lead with twenty minutes remaining of the second half after Diouf's fee-kick was directed towards the far post, and Kevin Davies tucked it away.
Anelka netted a fourth goal in the last minute as he despatched the ball into the net after he latched onto a Davies cross which was flicked on by Nolan.
The result flattered the hosts as it was Latics who had the better chances overall with Jason Koumas in particular looking very bright.
Due to Mario Melchiot's three match suspension, it was Swedish defender Andreas Granqvist who started for the first time since in two weeks in an otherwise unchanged starting line up. There was also a twenty minute run out for Michael Brown after he replaced Emile Heskey in the second half.
In the 23rd minute Marcus Bent headed down the ball towards Koumas, but the Welshman skewed his shot wide of the target.
On the half-hour mark, the former West Bromwich midfielder fed a brilliant through ball which found Bent, but as he tried to round Jussi Jaaskelainen he ran out of space before giving the ball to Heskey, who was then tackled by a Wanderers defender.
Koumas was unlucky not have given Latics a second equaliser shortly before the break, as he saw his twenty-five yard free-kick curl just beyond the far post.
Latics started the second half very brightly too, and looked the more likely to score. Ecuadorian winger Antonio Valencia tested Jaaskelainen from range with a stinging drive, but the Finnish goalkeeper also did well to parry it to safety.
After a succession of corners which Wanderers failed to repeatedly clear, Bent looked certain to score himself when he headed a Koumas corner, but again Jaaskelainen performed heroics to deny Latics a goal.
At the other end of the pitch, Bolton would have scored just before the hour mark as Diouf connected to Anelka's cross at the far post, but Boyce was positioned on the line to prevent the Senegal man causing any more damage.
It's certainly not a result that will help Latics, but the amount of chances which were created are encouraging as the team prepare for another Lancashire derby on Saturday when Blackburn visit the JJB Stadium.
LATICS: Kirkland; Boyce, Bramble, Granqvist, Kilbane ©; Valencia, Landzaat, Scharner, Koumas; Heskey (Brown 72), Bent.
SUBS: Pollitt, Taylor, Cotterill, Skoko.
BOOKING: Valencia
GOALS: Landzaat 14
BOLTON: Jaaskelainen; Hunt, Meite, O'Brien, Gardner; Guthrie, Diouf (McCann 75), Nolan © (Stelios 90), Campo (Speed 90); Anelka, Davies.
SUBS: Habsi, Michalik.
BOOKING: O'Brien, Guthrie
GOALS: Scharner og 3, Nolan 37, Davies 70, Anelka 90
REFEREE: Martin Atkinson
