There was little hint of what was to come when the second half started but three goals in the space of six minutes changed the landscape of the game.

Everton looked to have recovered from a terrible start of the season but two home defeats in the space of three days have set the alarm bells ringing again.

Bolton manager Sam Allardyce shook up his side after they had secured their place in the last 32 of the UEFA Cup in midweek.

Allardyce made six changes from the team that gained a point against Sevilla of Spain to secure their passage.

Goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen, Joey O’Brien, Bruno N’Gotty, Gary Speed, Kevin Nolan and Stelios Giannakopoulos all returned to the starting line-up.

Such is the club’s strength in depth at the moment, they can field two teams and still come up victorious.

Bolton set down a market inside the first minute after a rash challenge from behind by Kevin Davies on Phil Neville.

Then Nolan went in hard on Everton defender David Weir, which earned the striker a talking to from referee Alan Wiley.

Bolton’s physical approach in the early stages angered the home supporters, who made their feelings clear.

Everton mounted an attack after six minutes with Mikel Arteta making space down the right before delivering the ball into the area.

But Nigerian playmaker Okocha was handily placed for the visitors and made the clearance.

Everton won a free-kick four minutes later on the left after Joey O’Brien had tripped Nuno Valente.

Arteta swung the ball in, only for Abdoulaye Faye to boot it away.

The home side kept up the pressure and Valente’s inswinging cross in the 16th minute was punched clear by the alert Jaaskelainen.

Everton were enjoying a good spell of possession and James Beattie got on the end of a cross from Tony Hibbert in the 28th minute.

Beattie was able to get in a header and find Cahill but the Australian international was crowded out.

Bolton took the lead in almost their first attack in the 31st minute following a free-kick from Giannakopoulos which Everton failed to deal with.

Davies saw his looping header evade goalkeeper Richard Wright despite a desperate attempt by Beattie at the far post.

It was only the striker’s second goal of the season and his first since the opening day when he found the target against Aston Villa.

Everton looked stunned in their attempt to get back on track following the defeat in front of their home fans on Wednesday.

Weir escaped his marker at the back post a minute before half-time but his header from Simon Davies’ corner went into the arms of Jaaskelainen.

Bolton stepped up the pace at the start of the second half and Nolan tried to pick out El-Hadji Diouf at the back post.

However the Liverpool-born midfielder slightly overhit the pass and the chance was lost.

Everton won a free-kick 25 yards out in the 51st minute after Jaidi handled the ball – but Arteta’s effort cleared the bar.

The home fans were urging their side to get back on level terms but Everton’s confidence looked fragile.

Davies then got away from Weir and delivered a cross to the back post but there was no-one there to take advantage.

Everton found themselves on the back foot when Nolan powered forward and tried his luck on goal from 25 yards in the 58th minute, only for his effort to go wide.

Bolton boss Allardyce made a tactical switch in the 66th minute, bringing on Nicky Hunt for the largely ineffective Okocha.

Bolton went 2-0 ahead in the 74th minute thanks to a clinical finish from Greece winger Giannakopoulos, following good work from substitute Ricardo Vaz Te.

The 19-year-old Portuguese starlet had only been on the pitch for 60 seconds but surged forward and released a perfect pass.

Speed extended Bolton’s lead in the 78th minute from the penalty spot after Valente had bundled over Davies.

And the visitors got a fourth two minutes later when Giannakopoulos took advantage of some poor defending for his second goal of the game.