Paris Maghoma was on target once again for Bolton Wanderers, in the process helping the Trotters climb to the Sky Bet League One summit.
Maghoma slammed home the third of Bolton’s seven goals against Ryan Trevitt’s Exeter City.
The result saw Bolton jump to the top of the table, while Exeter remain just a point above the drop zone after a 10th defeat in 11 matches.
Maghoma, who played 75 minutes on Saturday, now has three goals in his last five Bolton outings while Trevitt has played every minute since returning from injury last month.
Exeter host Shrewsbury on Tuesday night in League One.
Bolton have a huge third-tier clash on Tuesday against one of the teams they leapfrogged this weekend, Fin Stevens’ Oxford United, before hosting Harrogate Town in the Emirates FA Cup second round on Saturday.
The U’s dropped out of the automatic promotion places following a bad-tempered 2-0 defeat at Cheltenham Town on Saturday.
Stevens played 65 minutes as both sides had a player sent off at Whaddon Road. Rob Street went from hero to villain for the home side, scoring the opener and then getting sent off in the first half.
Ruben Rodrigues then followed him for an early bath midway through the second half, seven minutes before Will Goodwin doubled the hosts’ lead.
Oxford are a point behind second-placed Portsmouth ahead of Tuesday’s visit from Bolton before they host Grimsby Town in the FA Cup on Saturday.
Matt Cox played the full 90 minutes on his return from international duty as Bristol Rovers’ six-game unbeaten run came to an end with a 2-1 defeat at Derby County.
After Jack Hunt’s own goal, Rovers thought they had rescued a late point when Chris Martin struck three minutes from time only for Nathaniel Mendez-Laing to grab the points in stoppage-time.
Tristan Crama was suspended for the game but is set to return this week with a League One clash at home to Leyton Orient and an FA Cup trip to Crewe Alexandra on the horizon.
Daniel Oyegoke is set for a significant amount of time out after having an operation on a shoulder injury. In his absence this week, Bradford beat Barnsley 5-1 to progress in the EFL Trophy and beat Accrington Stanley 1-0 in Sky Bet League Two on Saturday.
Ben Winterbottom is also out due to a groin injury. This week’s action saw Welling progress in the FA Trophy with a penalty shootout win over Taunton Town on Tuesday before beating top-of-the-table Yeovil Town 4-1 in the National League South at the weekend.
A point from safety, Welling travel to Weston-super-Mare in the league at the weekend.