Bolton goalscorer John McAtee spent last season on loan at Barnsley
Goals by Kyle Dempsey and substitute John McAtee gave Bolton back-to-back league victories with a 2-0 success at managerless Crawley.
The Red Devils, whose manager Scott Lindsey left to take over at MK Dons in midweek, enjoyed good spells of possession but lacked a cutting edge as their winless league run extended to five games.
Interim Crawley boss Ben Gladwin went into the game insisting his sole focus was on this transition period rather than landing the head coach role.
Bolton clinched promotion to League One in their previous visit to the Broadfield Stadium and it took them only five minutes to break the deadlock when the recalled Dempsey drove his second goal of the season from a corner by Josh Sheehan.
Wanderers threatened again when Dion Charles broke powerfully through and his shot was turned round the post by keeper Jojo Wollacott.
Bolton had manager Ian Evatt booked for protesting on the touchline before Charles out-paced Crawley defender Joy Mukena and put a deflected shot wide in front of the home fans.
The Red Devils had a let-off in first-half stoppage time when Josh Dacres-Cogley fed Dempsey and his fierce shot rebounded off the underside of the bar.
After a lengthy spell of Crawley possession, Wanderers went close again on 72 minutes when Ricardo Santos had a goalbound header tipped over by keeper Wollacott.
Bolton substitute McAtee settled the issue 12 minutes from time, firing into the roof of the net 10 minutes after coming on to finish a swift counter-attack.
Report supplied by PA Media.
