Newcastle United went down to the first defeat in ten games and the first since Graeme Souness took over as manager, after Bolton Wanderers hit them with two second-half goals.
It was Bolton's third successive Premiership win that put them back into fourth in the table but it needed a lot of hard work to claim the points.
After a dismal first half, the game sparked into life when El Hadji Diouf put Wanderers ahead in the 52nd minute with his first goal for the club, but the lead lasted barely three minutes when Darren Ambrose hit a 30-yard thunderbolt into the top corner.
Wanderers however got back on top and fully deserved their win, Kevin Davies prodding home the winner in the 70th minute.
The reason behind Newcastle's successful run of games quickly emerged as they charged at the Wanderers defence. Craig Bellamy caused problems for Nicky Hunt down the left and was only prevented from opening the scoring by a good save by Jussi Jaaskelainen.
Patrick Kluivert and Alan Shearer combined to add more threat and Ricardo Gardner did well to break up a promising move in the 15th minute.
Slowly Wanderers began to find their feet and the long throw-ins into the area by Jay-Jay Okocha twice could have led to goals.
The home side, however should have taken the lead in the 23rd minute when Diouf collected a poor goal-kick by Shay Given.
He immediately played Davies through, but with only the keeper to beat, the striker fired across the face of the goal and beyond the far post.
Gardner and Stylianos Giannakopoulos then worked well down the left to set up another scoring chance, but this time the Greek international's effort was just too high.
The game was played at a terrific pace, but neither side were able to exert enough control of the ball to open up the way to goal.
Gary Speed was the outstanding player in the first half, providing a non-stop display both at the back and going forward as if to show his former club that letting him go in the close season was a big mistake.
Wanderers' first corner of the game finally came in the 49th minute and it could have provided an opener when Rahdi Jaidi's header was played straight into Given's grateful arms.
Okocha's long throws had seemed to be the home side's only major ploy but although Newcastle tried to thwart the Nigerian by placing men immediately in front of him, it failed to cut out the danger.
It was from one such move in the 52nd minute that Wanderers eventually took the lead, Jaidi heading the long throw into the six-yard box from where Diouf headed home for his first goal for the club.
Jaidi was injured during the move and was off the field when ten-men Bolton conceded barely three minutes later.
Yet that could have made little difference as Ambrose let fly from 30 yards out, the ball beating Jaaskelainen as it rocketed into the top corner.
Jaidi was replaced by Fernando Hierro while Wanderers also brought on their leading goalscorer Henrik Pedersen in place of Giannakopoulos.
Wanderers kept up the pressure and were rewarded with a second goal in the 70th minute.
This time Davies headed in a free-kick into the box to Diouf who headed towards goal, where Davies prodded the ball into the net.
Newcastle, who had earlier brought on Laurent Robert for Kluivert also introduced Shola Ameobi for Ambrose, yet Wanderers continued to push forward in search of another goal.
Davies looked as if he had got it when played through to a good shooting position, but this time his powerful shot cannoned off Given and away for a corner.
Okocha then fired in a shot that Given could only parry, but Pedersen could only blast the rebound over the bar.