Two-goal hero Robbie Keane brought Wolves a surprise win at the Reebok Stadium and showed precisely why he is a young striker destined for the top.

Keane's opportunism was the difference although Wolves also were indebted to the brilliance of goalkeeper Mike Stowell and a resolute rearguard.

Injury-hit Wolves, missing eight senior players, made the perfect start when Keane escaped the offside trap to fire home following an inch-perfect pass from Fernando Gomez.

Carl Robinson spurned a chance to make it two seconds later before Bolton finally got their act together.

Dean Holdsworth thought he'd won a penalty after being bundled over by Kevin Muscat but the claims were waved away.

Stowell, whose handling was outstanding throughout made a save from Per Frandsen and then Holdsworth was only just too high from eight yards.

Bolton finally found a way past Stowell on the stroke of half-time but skipper Scott Sellars looked on in amazement as Keith Curle made a goal-line clearance.

Keane was guilty of poor finishing when a Gomez ball presented him with a chance just after half-time, and then the young Irishman was only just wide with a cracking left-foot drive.

Bolton equalised out of the blue on 57 minutes following a short corner on the right.

Sellars picked up possession from Michael Johansen and a curling shot-cum-cross eluded Stowell.

Holdsworth had the ball in the net only to see it disallowed for offside and then, on 65 minutes, Keane scored the winner, throwing himself at a Michael Gilkes cross to send a flashing header past Jussi Jaaskelainen.

Bolton threw everyone forward and Stowell saved brilliantly from both Neil Cox and Mark Fish.

The home side had 10 men in the visitors' box in an extraordinary finale but somehow Stowell and Co stood firm.

Wolves, without the likes of Dean Richards, Steve Sedgley, Steve Bull and Darren Ferguson took a standing ovation from their travelling fans at the whistle.

Teams:

Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Cox, Whitlow, Frandsen, Bergsson, Fish, Johansen, Jensen (Gardner 67), Holdsworth (Gunnlaugsson 67), Taylor, Sellars.

Subs Not Used: Kristinnson, Phillips, Elliott.

Booked: Jensen, Sellars, Whitlow.

Goals: Sellars 57.

Wolverhampton: Stowell, Atkins, Muscat, Gomez, Emblen, Curle, Niestroj, Robinson, Corica, Keane, Gilkes.

Subs Not Used: Naylor, Murray, Crowe, Simms, Proudlock.

Booked: Gilkes, Muscat, Emblen.

Goals: Keane 8, 65.

Att: 18,269

Ref: A D'Urso (Billericay).