Jake Beesley scored twice to give the Brewers their first home win since the opening weekend of the season.
Fabio Tavares also got on the scoresheet in what was the unquestionably Bolton’s worst performance of the campaign, and arguably Steven Schumacher’s reign as a whole.
Wanderers made three changes to the side that beat Peterborough United, with Ibrahim Cissoko replacing Thierry Gale, Aaron Morley for Marcus Forss and Sam Dalby coming in for Ethan Erhahon.
As expected, the game was played at breakneck speed, the hosts looking to heap pressure on the Bolton box at every possible opportunity.
But Schumacher’s side had a golden chance to go ahead in the first few minutes when George Johnston played Sam Dalby in on the left side of the penalty box and he got around keeper Brad Collins, only for his shot to be scrambled off the line by Finn Delap.
Amario Cozier-Duberry then sent a cross skidding across the six yard box without anyone able to get a telling touch, and a few minutes later another ball from the on-loan Brighton winger was turned into the side netting by Dalby.
There had been precious little from the home side at that stage – but the Dalby miss proved a turning point in the half, and within 60 seconds Burton were ahead.
Charlie Webster managed to get behind Max Conway, drawing a challenge close to the touchline, with referee Neil Hair pointed to the penalty spot. Jake Beesley smashed his effort past Burton old boy Teddy Sharman-Lowe and Gary Bowyer’s side suddenly came to life.
Energy levels lifted and Bolton struggled to get any meaningful possession, being hassled off the ball at every turn. Johnston had to head over his own crossbar from Dylan Williams’ cross and Chris Forino made a vital block to stop Fabio Tavares grabbing a second after some sloppy play from Xavier Simons.
Cissoko lashed an angled shot just wide as half time approached and Morley also drove a free kick against the wall from what looked like a promising central position.
But Bolton had allowed themselves to get bogged down in a direct game, giving away far too many cheap free kicks, allowing Burton to play to their own strengths.
And within a couple of minutes of the second half starting, the task got even tougher.
Williams broke down the left and put a cross in which reached Tavares – his first shot was cleared off the line by Forino, but he buried the second.
Forss, on as a half-time sub for the ineffective Cissoko, hit a shot on the turn at keeper Collins and Burstow had another effort blocked on the edge of the box.
Burton were working hard to protect their lead and with the free kicks and long throw opportunities still racking up in the Wanderers half, they always had a chance to nick a third.
Forss skimmed another shot wide from the edge of the penalty box before Schumacher rolled the dice again from the bench, bringing on John McAtee and Josh Dacres-Cogley for Dalby and Christie.
With around 20 minutes to go, Wanderers did start to build a head of steam, getting Cozier-Duberry into the game for the first time. His superb turn on halfway led to a chance for McAtee, which was touched around the post by Collins. From the corner, Forino powered a header at goal that was somehow pushed away on the line by the Burton keeper.
Tavares could have put the game beyond doubt, flashing an effort just over the bar with 15 minutes left on the clock.
Wanderers’ fruitless search to get themselves back into the contest continued with Burstow heading tamely at the keeper after connecting with Dacres-Cogley’s cross.
The Whites started to run out of ideas completely by the end, a stab at goal from Joel Randall the closest they came to troubling keeper Collins again.
Burton should have grabbed a third in the final minute when Beesley squeezed a shot under Sharman-Lowe, only for Johnston to get back on the line to clear.
He didn’t have to wait long to get his second of the afternoon, however, slipping behind the Wanderers back line and getting around the keeper before passing into the net from close range.