WANDERERS recorded their first-ever victory at Burton Albion thanks to a second-half blockbuster from Josh Sheehan.

Steven Schumacher’s side moved into the play-off places for the first time since mid-October in a messy and hard-fought match that was not settled until the final kick.

Aaron Morley had opened the scoring in the 22nd minute and Bolton should have been comfortable by half time but the hosts turned up a different animal after the restart and equalised in controversial fashion when Brewers skipper Ryan Sweeney appeared to handle the ball into the net in a goalmouth scramble.

The winner came quickly afterwards, however, with Sheehan blasting a superb right-footed effort. It turned out to be the winner – but there was plenty more work left to do before the three points could be celebrated.

Wanderers made three changes to the team that beat Birmingham City, losing George Johnston to injury and dropping Chris Forino and Carlos Mendes to the bench and bringing back Alex Murphy and Will Forrester into the back three.

Space is at a premium on Burton’s tight pitch but it didn’t take Bolton long to get themselves into some sort of rhythm, creating their own gaps with a constant rotation of their attacking players to allow the likes of Aaron Morley and George Thomason to charge through from midfield.

And it was from one of those untracked runs that the Whites grabbed the lead 22 minutes in. Thomason won the ball back on the left side of the box and pulled a cross back which John McAtee dummied and the charging Morley drove into the bottom corner for his fifth goal of the campaign.

The lead should have been stretched before half time. Jordi Osei-Tutu broke through on the left to leave Bolton three-on-two but overhit his pass to Collins, allowing keeper Max Crocombe to make a save at his feet.

McAtee then presented a great chance to Thomason with a cut-back cross but the midfielder opted to slide a pass to Collins, who was eventually crowded out a couple of yards from goal by the scrambling Burton defenders.

Forrester went close with a deflected header and then had a penalty appeal turned down after Eoin Toal had galloped forward in stoppage time.

Burton made a better fist of it at the start of the second half, Rumarn Burrell forcing Luke Southwood into his first save of the day after combining well with Charlie Webster.

A succession of set pieces forced the Whites on to the back foot and from their third corner in as many minutes, Southwood pushed away Armer’s header and Ryan Sweeney somehow forced the ball over the line.

There were fierce protests from Wanderers’ players but even after ref Lee Swabey gave the goal, he went back to check with his linesman. Had he seen a replay, he would have seen the Brewers skipper pushing the ball over the line with his hand at close range.

The frustration eased a few minutes later, however, when Bolton won a free kick a few yards outside the Burton box. Morley smashed his shot into the wall but the ball rebounded into Sheehan’s path, and he lashed a right-footed effort past Crocombe to restore the lead on the hour.

There was a wake-up call for Wanderers on 70 minutes when Webster launched a thunderous volley at goal which was tipped over the top by Southwood.

And after a stoppage for a facial injury to Forrester, Webster headed a great chance over the bar in front of the Bolton fans.

Wanderers seemed to need the security of a third goal and Sheehan came close to a magnificent second of the game when he connected with Morley’s cross to volley just over in the latter stages.

They were reminded of that fact when Southwood had to save at the foot of his post from McKiernan, then get something on the follow-up from Burrell, before Wanderers were able to get the ball clear.

Various stoppages added up to eight minutes of stoppage time by which time Burton had thrown every available bit of height forward – including Kyran Lofthouse, who was teased mercilessly by the 1,600 travelling fans after sending a shot high and wide that: “There’s only one Lofthouse!”

Burton even threw their goalkeeper forward for the last attack, giving Schumacher some flashbacks to losing a lead in the last seconds as Plymouth boss a few years ago.

But the defence held firm and the Bolton boss punched the air with delight as the final whistle sounded, his side finally taking a place in the top six.