Matt Taylor celebrated his first Sky Bet League One win as Bristol Rovers boss as first-half goals from John Marquis and Antony Evans condemned 10-man Bolton to a 2-1 defeat.

Rovers, who had not previously beaten Wanderers since 1989, grabbed a 10th-minute lead when Grant Ward crossed for Marquis to register his fifth goal of the campaign.

The visitors’ fortunes increased when Bolton captain Ricardo Santos was sent off for tripping Aaron Collins 12 minutes before half-time. And there were home boos when manager Ian Evatt sacrificed 15-goal marksman Dion Charles for defender Will Forrester.

Almost immediately, the Gas went 2-0 up as Collins set up Evans for his seventh goal of the season.

Nathan Baxter kept Bolton in the hunt when saving from Collins, Evans and Connor Taylor before Wanderers rallied.

George Thomason forced Matt Cox into his first save of the game after 66 minutes and the goalkeeper made a more spectacular effort to deny Jon Dadi Bodvarsson with 20 minutes left.

Defender Eoin Toal’s late consolation could not prevent the Trotters’ second defeat in six days following last Monday’s loss at leaders Portsmouth.