There were no changes for either side at the interval, and City made the brighter start to the second half. Hackett won an important challenge in the 46th minute to release Jefferies, although his cross was too close to Jack Bonham.
Just as Bolton had done early in the first half, the hosts appealed for a penalty almost immediately after the restart. House was involved again, this time appearing to give Thierry Gale a push inside the area, but the referee waved play on. City quickly broke at the other end through Callum Elder, with Jefferies cutting inside before seeing his shot blocked.
City then created their best opportunity of the game in the 49th minute. After a spell of sustained pressure had pinned Bolton back, McGrandles delivered into the area and Elerewe did well to head the ball back from the byline, only for Bonham to make the save and turn it behind.
The visitors continued to enjoy their best spell of the afternoon. Draper was adjudged to have fouled Chris Forino-Joseph as another attack broke down, before House appeared to be fouled at the other end without being given anything. The loose ball eventually fell for Varfolomeev, whose effort was saved, with Bonham then reacting quickly to smother the rebound.
Another excellent chance followed two minutes later. Bonham committed himself to a deep City free kick and was caught out, allowing Jefferies to recycle the ball into the area. Elerewe headed it down for House, but he stabbed over from close range.
Draper was finally awarded a free kick after another tussle with Forino-Joseph in the 58th minute, although the offence appeared less obvious than several which had previously gone unpunished. The resulting delivery came to nothing. A minute later, George Wickens picked out Draper with a long ball forward and Reach arrived behind him looking to lift an effort towards goal, but sent it high and wide.
The battle between Draper and Forino-Joseph continued, with another foul awarded to City inside their own half before Bolton made the first changes of the afternoon. Gaizka Larrazabal and Kyliane Dong replaced Samuel Iling-Junior and Akin Famewo after 61 minutes.
City responded with their first substitution four minutes later as Draper made way for Street, and the change had an almost immediate impact.
Street was involved down the flank in the 66th minute, delivering a cross which was blocked behind. From the resulting long throw, Elder sent the ball into the area and it bounced invitingly in front of House, who applied a glancing touch to steer it beyond Bonham and put City 1-0 ahead.
Bolton reacted by introducing Jayden Nelson and Ryan Hardie for Gale and John McAtee in the 71st minute, and Nelson immediately added a different threat. Within two minutes he had cut inside and fired wide of Wickens’ goal.
Nelson continued to cause problems as Bolton pushed for an equaliser. He created another opening in the 75th minute which required a save from Wickens, before the resulting corner eventually fell to Dong, whose shot was blocked by a City player. Another corner followed and this time Towler was in the way to repel the effort.
Varfolomeev was booked in the 79th minute after appearing to kick a second ball onto the pitch as Bolton prepared to take a corner. The pressure continued, with Nelson again the provider moments later as Hardie bundled his cross wide.
Bolton then replaced Ethan Erhahon with David Watson, the former Imp leaving the field to another chorus of boos from the travelling support. City made a change of their own at the same time, with Hackett replaced by Olaofe.
Nelson remained at the heart of almost everything Bolton created. Another cross was turned goalwards by Hardie in the 81st minute and Wickens somehow kept it out at close range, before the City goalkeeper was quickly called into action again to gather another Nelson effort.
City made two further changes with five minutes of normal time remaining, Bayliss and Honohan replacing Varfolomeev and House as the Imps looked to protect their advantage.
Bolton struggled to make their late pressure count. Dong saw a cross blocked in the 90th minute, but the resulting corner was wasted and City were able to restart with a goal kick.
There was then uproar in stoppage time when Bayliss was caught in the face. The referee initially allowed Bolton to break before stopping play, provoking frustration from both sides, with Paul McShane making his feelings clear to the fourth official.
City handed Bolton one final opportunity in the 93rd minute by conceding a free kick around 25 yards from goal, almost centrally positioned. Josh Sheehan struck it well, but Wickens stood tall to make an important save before Bolton sent Bonham forward for the resulting corner.
The pressure continued beyond the indicated four minutes. Nelson weaved his way into the area and won another corner, which Elerewe cleared, before Bolton fashioned one final opening. The ball almost dropped for Hardie inside the area, but Towler produced another important clearance and the follow-up effort was sent over.
That was the last action of the game, and City have three points on the board!
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