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Bolton took a big step towards automatic promotion from League Two with a vital win in their clash against close rivals Morecambe.

A goal from Ben Jackson in first-half stoppage time gave the Trotters the three points against a Morecambe side who were reduced to 10 men after just 23 minutes when Kelvin Mellor saw red for an off-the-ball incident with Oladapo Afolayan.

Morecambe, who began the game one point behind the third-placed visitors, started the better side, with skipper Sam Lavelle testing goalkeeper Matt Gilks with a header from a corner before the sending-off handed the visitors the advantage.

Jackson forced Kyle Letheren into a flying save from a volley before scoring three minutes into stoppage time with a right-foot curler that beat the Morecambe goalkeeper low to his left.

Bolton enjoyed the greater share of possession in the second half and went close with a Ricardo Santos header going just wide.

Morecambe came close to a leveller in the 89th minute when Toumani Diagouraga's close-range effort was cleared off the line by Alex Baptise after a frantic goalmouth scramble.

Match report supplied by PA Media.