Peterborough United have taken three vital Championship points with a thrilling 5-4 win over Bolton Wanderers.

It was the perfect start for the hosts, and quite the opposite for Bolton, as Zat Knight miscontrolled a George Boyd crossfield ball after three minutes and Lee Tomlin curled home after cutting in.

The lead was doubled after just six minutes. This time a Tommy Rowe cross was not cut out, leaving Dwight Gayle to smash home from close range.

It was so close to three after 15 minutes, Tomlin again causing chaos with a jinking run before hitting the foot of the post with a curling effort.

However, on the stroke of the break Bolton pulled one back through a Keith Andrews penalty after Gabriel Zakuani was adjudged to have fouled Sam Ricketts.

The second half started in the same way as the first and Bolton were two goals behind again just three minutes into the half, with George Thorne curling low from the edge of the box.

However, Bolton were handed another lifeline 10 minutes later. Joe Newell needlessly brought down Benik Afobe and Andrews again converted from the spot.

Bolton pressed for the equaliser but the crucial sixth goal went to the home side as Mark Little finished at the far post from a Newell cross.

Zakuani got himself forward to head home the hosts' fifth before Afobe bundled in a Martin Petrov corner almost immediately from the restart.

Just a few minutes after being 5-2 up Peterborough were pegged back to 5-4 when Petrov struck a powerful shot from the angle.

However, there was to be no equaliser and Peterborough desperately hung on for the three points.