WANDERERS’ reputation as comeback kings under Steven Schumacher went up another level after they fought back from 1-0 down to beat play-off rivals Leyton Orient at the Toughsheet.
Charlie Kelman had put the O’s ahead with a first-half header but the Whites were a different prospect after the break and fought to level on the hour through John McAtee, then secure all three points from the penalty spot through Aaron Morley.
The result keeps Bolton eighth but crucially brings them level on points with Orient in sixth, each having played the same number of games.
Wanderers had made four changes to the side that had beaten Shrewsbury last weekend, reverting to a back four after losing Gethin Jones and Eoin Toal to injury.
Jordi Osei-Tutu, Szabi Schon, Josh Sheehan and Josh Dacres-Cogley came into the side, which had won three of its last four league games.
Bolton made a bright start, playing some decent football in the first 20 minutes but – in a theme which has been mirrored plenty of times this season – struggling to find the right cross or final pass to make a clear-cut chance.
Schumacher’s side did not have a shot on goal, in fact, for the opening half despite cutting through on their right side on a few occasions with the likes of Dacres-Cogley and Schon.
Orient had done what they could to break up Bolton’s momentum and began to create some pressure of their own. Ethan Galbraith blasted one effort over from the edge of the box and Azeem Abdulai had another effort deflect narrowly wide after some sloppy play in possession from Jay Matete.
The portents were not good, and after a succession of set pieces the O’s made their breakthrough, Rarmani Edmonds-Green flicking on for Charlie Kelman to head home his 15th of the season.
Once again Bolton found themselves behind and with work to do, and things nearly got worse immediately after the break when old boy Randell Williams drifted a cross-shot which bounced off the crossbar.
The half-time introduction of Aaron Collins for Matete had given Wanderers a bit more presence up front alongside McAtee. Osei-Tutu finally registered a shot on target just before the hour mark, and moments later the equaliser arrived.
Collins found space in the right channel and rolled a ball through for McAtee to drill right-footed under Josh Keeley for his 10th of the season.
The wind was now in Bolton’s sails and as they pushed forward for a winner, the big moment arrived with 15 minutes left. Dom Ball kicked at Josh Sheehan’s heels in the penalty box to give referee Sam Purkiss little choice but to point to the spot.
And though O’s keeper Keeley did his best to distract Morley, the midfielder kept his nerve to fire home what could be a hugely important goal in Wanderers’ season.
The visitors pushed hard to find a response, Jack Currie pulling one shot narrowly wide after some good work from sub Dan Agyei, and with the game stretched in the last few minutes Collins also spurned a chance to make it 3-1 after capitalising on some tired defending from Galbraith.
The fourth official signalled 10 minutes of stoppage time would be played, which added a totally new spin on the game and offered Orient a chance to get back into it.
Collins should have stifled any chance after doing superbly to beat three men on the left but failing to find Morley with a cut-back from the line.
Ref Purkiss managed to find 113 minutes from somewhere but Bolton held on professionally to register a much-needed win to keep them firmly in the play-off hunt.
