Bolton gave their automatic promotion hopes a big boost with a 4-2 victory over Oxford United at the Kassam Stadium - the third successive game on the road they have struck four goals.

The Trotters left the home side playing catch-up by scoring twice in the first 23 minutes.

Filipe Morais lashed in the opener in the fourth minute when Simon Eastwood could only parry Gary Madine's header, from Josh Vela's cross, and the Portuguese lashed the ball high into the net from five yards.

Oxford's defenders failed to learn from that because midway through the half, when Eastwood fingertipped Morais' 20-yard free-kick on to the bar, he was again not helped by his teammates as Mark Beevers fired in the follow-up from six yards.

Filipe Morais and David Wheater were delighted with Bolton's 4-2 win over Oxford in League One

The U's had strongly contested the free-kick, believing Chey Dunkley's challenge on Adam Le Fondre was not a foul.

Oxford pulled one back three minutes before the break when Kane Hemmings bundled the ball over the line after Bel Alnwick saved Joe Skarz's header at full stretch.

Bolton manager Phil Parkinson praised the resilience his side showed as they held off Oxford to secure a vital win in their promotion chase

But Bolton restored their two-goal advantage on the hour when a long throw-in was flicked on and centre half Chey Dunkley headed into his own net.

Johnson was close to a spectacular second goal for United with a 35-yarder that Alnwick touched on to the post.

Michael Appleton felt key decisions were incorrectly given against his side, as they fell to a 4-2 defeat at home to Bolton.

Chris Maguire did smash in a second - from a 20-yard free-kick on 75 minutes that left Alnwick standing.

But Josh Vela fired in number four on the break in stoppage time to ensure Wanderers moved four points clear of third-placed Fleetwood.