Will Lankshear scored twice as majestic Middlesbrough battered Bolton 5-1 to move two points clear at the top of the Championship.
Aidan Morris, in-form Lankshear and a Lewis Brunt own goal by half-time set the Teessiders on the way to a 10th successive win over their hosts in a run stretching back to 2014.
Canadian striker Thelonius Bair gave Steven Schumacher’s side hope in the second minute of first half stoppage time.
But former Bolton loan star Amario Cozier-Duberry, who produced nine goals and 10 assists for the Trotters in League One last season, made the points safe in front of 5,000 Boro fans after 73 minutes.
Lankshear added a fifth five minutes later with his 11th league goal since his £10million move to the North East
Bolton’s chastening defeat could have been even heavier but for goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu’s string of outstanding saves.
However, for all of Boro’s first-half brilliance – 20 shots with six on target – they could have been behind after 13 minutes.
Spaniard Gaizka Larrazabal threaded a pass through to Ruben Rodrigues but visiting keeper Radek Vitek easily saved a weak shot.
Just 26 seconds later, the visitors hit the front. Brighton loanee Cozier-Duberry crossed from the right and unmarked United States international Morris tapped in from four yards.
Back came Bolton after 17 minutes with Vitek this time worked harder by Rodrigues’ next effort on target. Then Bair angled an attempt across goal when he should have forced Vitek into action.
But until Bair’s goal, Boro’s flowing and speedy attacks tore Wanderers apart.
Cozier-Duberry was initially denied a goal on his return to the Toughsheet Community Stadium by Bazunu’s gloves.
The former Stoke goalkeeper also denied Callum Brittain and Lankshear before the latter celebrated a 12th goal in all competitions. Tommy Conway played the final pass of a mesmerising move and Lankshear steered the ball home after 31 minutes.
Wanderers, who had held Southampton at St Mary’s to a scoreless draw six days earlier, found themselves 3-0 down within 39 minutes in front of their own supporters.
Defender Adilson Malanda got a header to Sebastien Berhalter’s corner but it needed Brunt’s deflection to go beyond Bazunu.
Bolton brought on Atsuki Ito and Max Conway after half-time but it made no difference to the flow of the contest.
Bazunu twice thwarted Tommy Conway before Cozier-Duberry netted his third goal of his Boro career.
And Lankshear had the last word, taking his tally to six goals in six games as Middlesbrough moved to the summit ahead of Swansea and West Ham.
