Bolton capped a miserable week for Charlton by condemning the Londoners to a defeat which dented their dreams of catching Scott Parker and his new Chelsea team-mates.

Parker quit the club he had been at since age 11 when he completed his controversial £10million move across London.

The third-placed Blues take on the Addicks, in fourth, at Stamford Bridge next Sunday but can extend their nine-point cushion on Sunday after Alan Curbishley's side lost in the league on Saturday for the first time in eight games.

An explosive start and finish to this match at The Valley was enough for Sam Allardyce's Carling Cup finalists to claim the victory that bolsters their own dream of UEFA Cup action.

Henrik Pedersen struck after just 23 seconds to hand the Trotters the lead and, after Claus Jensen hit the post, Jonatan Johansson equalised 12 minutes later.

But Bolton saved the best until last and Kevin Nolan slammed home a sensational volley 12 minutes from time to claim victory.

Charlton chairman Richard Murray had his say on the Parker saga in the match programme.

The Addicks supremo insisted the midfielder's chief motivation for moving to Stamford Bridge was not to further his career, as Parker claimed, but instead to line his pockets with Roman Abramovich's cash.

Murray said: "It was apparent Scott wanted to join Chelsea because of Champions League football, possible league and cup success and - most importantly - the huge financial rewards it would bring him."

Parker's departure dominated the build-up to this match and Curbishley contributed to that with a rousing pre-match address on the giant screen urging Charlton fans to get behind their team.

They responded early on - with anti-Parker chants included in their repertoire - but lost their voices as the contest wore on.

This match included moments of fine play from both sides, certainly as good as anything Parker and his new team-mates could serve up across London.

But a game which began with a bang mulled along until Nolan's brilliant late winner.

Graham Stuart sparkled in Parker's place in central midfield, just as he did at Everton a fortnight ago when he scored the winner in a match Parker was dropped for because of his bad attitude in training.

Bolton were without their inspirational playmaker Youri Djorkaeff, absent with a hamstring injury.

Charlton's post-Parker era had got off to the worst possible start as Bolton raced into the lead with just 23 seconds on the clock.

Kevin Davies beat Chris Perry to a punt up field and nodded the ball into the path of Pedersen.

The Dane chested down and beat Dean Kiely with a smart shot into the bottom right corner from 12 yards.

Charlton were almost level five minutes later. Paolo di Canio's clever pull back was side-footed goalwards by Jensen - but the ball clipped Emerson Thome's heels, rebounded off the post and was scrambled clear.

And the home side were level in the 12th minute, thanks to a tremendous team goal.

After a spell of keep-ball, Jensen and Stuart linked up with a one-two on the left side of the area - and Jensen's cross was dispatched into the back of the net by Johansson's thumping diving header.

Bolton suffered an injury blow just after the half hour, when Stelios Giannakopoulos hobbled off and was replaced by Ibrahim Ba.

The Trotters pushed to make it 2-1 as both Nolan and Davies had shots charged down in quick succession.

Charlton were dealt an injury problem of their own after 30 minutes, when Jason Euell was stretchered off with what appeared to be an injury to his right ankle. Carlton Cole came on in his place.

Bolton looked dangerous on the counter and both teams could have scored in the 67th minute.

Davies flashed a header goalwards which Kiely grasped - and moments later at the other end, Cole showed some fancy footwork to create space for a stinging shot which Jussi Jaaskelainen saved.

But they were rare moments of excitement in a match which had rather lost its way.

Bolton surged in front again with 12 minutes left, through an explosive finish from Nolan.

Ba drilled a half-cleared corner back into the box and Nolan latched onto Ivan Campo's flick to spin and hammer a ferocious volley into the top corner.

Charlton pushed late on and Bolton had an injury-time alarm when Stuart's shot bounced off Jaaskelainen before being cleared.

Teams

Charlton: Kiely, Kishishev, Perry, Fish, Hreidarsson, Stuart, Holland, Euell (Cole 33), Jensen (Konchesky 73), Di Canio, Johansson.

Subs Not Used: Royce, Young, Fortune.

Goals: Johansson 12.

Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Hunt, Thome, N'Gotty, Barness, Giannakopoulos (Ba 16), Campo, Frandsen, Nolan, Davies (Javi Moreno 69), Pedersen (Charlton 88).

Subs Not Used: Poole, Vaz Te.

Goals: Pedersen 1, Nolan 78.

Att: 26,249

Ref: A D'Urso (Essex).