Carlisle United 1 Bolton Wanderers 4: Carlisle were no match for high-flying Bolton as the visitors made short work of Paul Simpson's side at Brunton Park.
The Blues remain ten points adrift in the relegation zone after Ian Evatt's side dominated to go second in League One.
Jordan Gibson gave United brief second-half hope after Zac Ashworth and Paris Maghoma had capped the visitors' early dominance.
But Bolton held off further Blues threat and Cumbrian ex-United man Kyle Dempsey fired a third in added time before sub Nathanael Ogbeta hit a last-gasp fourth.
It left Carlisle still second bottom after a fourth straight defeat, on a day which saw new signings Jack Diamond and Josh Vela make substitute debuts in front of 11,443 - Brunton Park's biggest home crowd of the season.
United were outclassed for the most part as Dempsey starred for the Trotters on his return to Brunton Park and Evatt's side proved a cut above struggling Carlisle in most departments.
With Diamond and Josh Vela both on the bench for their first game as Blues players, the starting XI saw one change with Jack Robinson coming in for Jack Armer, who dropped out of the squad.
Opponents Bolton made two changes, with Maryport's Dempsey and Ashworth coming in for Randell Williams and George Thomason who were injured and suspended respectively.
Another former United man, Jack Iredale, started while the Trotters' new signing Ogbeta was on the bench.
It did not take long for the high-flying visitors to establish dominance as they began putting United's defence under pressure.
Ashworth tested Harry Lewis with an early free-kick while a cross saw Jon Mellish, facing his own goal, slice clear.
Maghoma was also a threat with attempts from outside the box as Evatt's side, with their passing and movement, gave United the run-around.
Dempsey, who was booed by some Blues fans, was denied by an Owen Moxon interception before Dan Butterworth, on the break, cleared the bar with United's first attempt from distance.
The home side then pinned United back with a spell of relentless pressure, Dempsey having a shot blocked, Maghoma also denied then Carlisle struggling to deal with a series of corners.
Dempsey drilled a low cross just out of his team-mates reach before Simpson, midway through the half, sent Mellish from defence to midfield to try and disrupt Bolton's control.
This took brief effect as Carlisle earned a corner which led to a half-chance for Paul Huntington but Bolton soon got back on top - and into the lead.
The opener came when Josh Sheehan received the ball in space and floated it over Jack Ellis into the left of the box, where Ashworth cushioned a volley which dipped over Lewis.
Mellish was millimetres from an equaliser at the other end when he headed Alfie McCalmont's cross just wide.
But minutes later it was 2-0 as more pressure eventually saw Maghoma evade a challenge in the United box before drilling clinically home.
It further exposed the gulf in quality which had been seen for most of the first half, and Simpson made a double change at the break, Diamond on for his debut and Gibson also introduced with Butterworth and McCalmont making way.
Mellish tried to force a way back with a determined run down the left on 54 minutes but when the ball deflected, Gibson's overhead kick was well off target.
Mellish then came close when, after receiving the ball from the right, he turned smoothly before seeing a powerful shot tipped over the bar by the leaping keeper Nathan Baxter.
Diamond, on the left, looked to take on his man while Gibson tried to inject some creativity to the right, Mellish trying to add some drive to United's play.
Carlisle had more of it but the goal remained elusive until the 71st minute when another Blues move eventually saw the ball break for Gibson and he fired a powerful low shot inside Baxter's near post from the left.
Simpson then sent on Vela for his debut in place of Moxon as United tried to continue their fightback, Charles firing over from a tight angle at the other end before going off amid a double Bolton change.
Sub Jon Dadi Bodvarsson had the ball in the net but his effort was ruled out for offside against Dempsey as the Cumbrian received the ball and crossed.
Another Bolton replacement, Cameron Jerome, then shot straight at Lewis when picked out in space by Ashworth's left-wing cross.
Carlisle could not force the chance they needed to haul a point out of the game, as the influential Dempsey crossed again for Jerome, who couldn't keep his header down.
And it was Dempsey who finally made sure of Bolton's victory, breaking to the left and firing low across Lewis, before celebrating in front of the away fans then cupping his ears to the Paddock.
And there was still time for a fourth as Ogbeta, off the bench, arrived at the back post to drive a low cross past Lewis to leave the visitors jubilant and United comfortably beaten.
United: Lewis, Lavelle, Huntington, Mellish, Ellis, Robinson, Neal (Garner 80), Moxon (Vela 71), McCalmont (Gibson 46), Butterworth (Diamond 46), Armstrong. Not used: Breeze, Maguire, Grehan.
Goal: Gibson 71.
Booked: Neal.
Bolton: Baxter, Dacres-Cogley, Toal, Almeida Santos, Iredale, Ashworth (Ogbeta 90), Sheehan, Dempsey (Mendes Gomes 90), Maghoma (Morley 82), Adeboyejo (Bodvarsson 74), Charles (Jerome 74). Not used: Coleman, Matheson.
Goals: Ashworth 31, Maghoma 36, Dempsey 90, Ogbeta 90.
Booked: Toal, Dacres-Cogley.
Ref: Scott Oldham.
Crowd: 11,443 (3,044 Bolton fans).
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