Sheffield Wednesday were beaten by an impressive Bolton Wanderers side in the last home game of the 2013/14 Championship season.
Bolton raced into an early 3-0 lead thanks to goals from Neil Danns, Chung Yong Lee and Liam Trotter before the Owls pulled one back with a long range strike by Joe Mattock.
But try as they might, Wednesday couldn’t reduce the deficit and Bolton’s first half efforts proved enough to take all three points.
Wednesday started the game brightly as Giles Coke tested Adam Bogdan with a low drive after just 90 seconds.
However, it was the visitors who took the lead on eight minutes, when Danns bundled the ball home at the far post following a cross from the left by Robert Hall.
Michail Antonio then fired over following a goalmouth scramble at the other end but moments later Bolton doubled their advantage as Lee latched onto a long ball from the back and slid past Kirkland.
The Owls responded well, though, with Rhys McCabe forcing Bogdan into a good save at his near post.
But Bolton found a third just before the half-hour as Trotter hit a stunning dipping volley over Kirkland from 25 yards.
Wednesday found the net themselves ten minutes later when Mattock fired a terrific half volley into the top corner from the edge of the area.
Caolan Lavery then nearly found the hosts’ second moments before half time with a fine effort from an acute angle that had Bogdan at full stretch but the Trotters went down the tunnel in the ascendancy.
Early in the second period, Bolton looked certain to score a fourth as Danns was released one on one with Kirkland, but the Owls keeper smothered the ball expertly when the midfielder looked to go round him.
The remainder of the half produced few genuine chances for either side, although Bolton had the best openings.
The clearest perhaps fell to Danns, who had the goal at his mercy but Kirkland was off his line swiftly to divert before Lee shot into the side netting after a swift Bolton attack on the counter.
Owls: Kirkland, Antonio, Onyewu, Coke (Afobe 85), Mattock (Corry 60), McCabe (Stobbs 60), Helan, Lee, Lavery, Nuhiu, Loovens
Bolton: Bogdan, Mills, Ream, Spearing, Beckford (Kellett 79), Hall (Jutkiewicz 73), Trotter, Danns, Lee (Youngs 90), Wheater, Threlkeld