Carlos Mendes Gomes, Ricardo Santos and Aaron Morley did the damage in a thoroughly watchable and open game packed full of goalscoring chances.
Whether the EFL Trophy is a priority this season is debatable, of course, with all focus on an automatic spot in League One. But if Ian Evatt can keep his squad players bubbling under with performances like this, then why can’t we consider a return next April?
Evatt had pledged to take the competition seriously and, just as he did last season, named a strong starting line-up, given his international absentees.
Jon Dadi Bodvarsson came in for his first start since January but otherwise recalls for Mendes Gomes, Paris Maghoma, Dan Nlundulu and Will Forrester hardly interrupted the flow.
Salford had named a couple of debutants and frankly looked like the proverbial rabbit caught in headlights as Evatt’s side announced themselves on the game.
Mendes Gomes turned on to Maghoma’s pass after just 54 seconds to blast an unstoppable effort from 25 yards past keeper Joseph Wright – one which, in truth, deserved to be seen by more than the scattering of fans in the Nat Lofthouse Stand lower.
Maghoma very nearly doubled the lead a few moments later as he weaved between two defenders on the edge of the area only to lose his balance as he tried to strike at goal.
Bolton stroked the ball around confidently, Morley more than happy to take up the playmaker role from deep. Forrester thought he had scored a second after 15 minutes, only for his close-range effort to be hooked off the line by Theo Vassell.
Salford’s reprieve did not last long. From the very next attack Mendes Gomes miss-hit a shot which gave Santos the chance to beat keeper Wright to the ball and head home his first of the season.
Nlundulu was desperate to follow suit and open his account. He did almost everything right after racing on to Maghoma’s clever reverse pass midway through the half but was denied by Wright’s outstretched boot.
Later in the half, Nlundulu would have been clear through on goal had it not been for a cynical shirt pull from Kevin Burkoe which clearly angered the Wanderers front man.
Salford, to their credit, kept trying to play their way into the game. They should have pulled one back when Ethan Ingram’s cross from the right dropped for Marcus Dackers and Connor McLennan, neither of whom could get a meaningful touch.
England youth international Ingram, on loan from West Brom, showed up well on his debut and made sure Randell Williams had to keep on his toes for most of the night.
But Bolton’s use of the ball was infinitely more effective and precise, the whole exercise panning out as a perfect workout before the international break.
The Whites continued to hunt and just before the international a clever corner routine finished with Maghoma drifting a delightful cross for Morley to finish at the far post – his header bringing a marvellous save out of Wright.
And in stoppage time Bodvarsson got his first sight of goal, played down the left channel he drove a low cross-shot, looking to pick out Nlundulu, but once again Wright got enough on it.
Maghoma had done everything bar get himself on the scoresheet in the first half, and he came within a couple of inches immediately after the restart with another jinking run and drive.
Undeterred his intelligent running continued, and Wanderers worked a quality move down the right side of the penalty box which ended with the Brentford loanee crossing low for Nlundulu – and even though he was crowded out of a shooting chance, Bolton kept possession and Morley managed to work himself enough space on the edge of the box to fire a shot past Wright for the third.
As game as Salford had been, there was no recovering from that. Bolton have started to refer to their substitutes as ‘finishers’ and with the game pretty much finished by the time of their arrival, it was really a question of how ruthless they wanted to be.
Luke Matheson made his first appearance for the club since signing in the summer and added a sense of urgency, nearly getting on the end of a low cross from fellow sub Victor Adeboyejo.
He then produced a good ball of his own which was hooked back by Cameron Jerome to Adeboyejo but he couldn’t keep his header down.
Salford brought on a few of their more recognised attackers in Matt Smith and Conor McAleny, which meant Santos and Co had to keep their concentration. Both the captain and Forrester made important blocks in front of their own goal in the closing stages to preserve the clean sheet.
Smith should have denied them the pleasure when a chance fell to him in stoppage time, blasted wastefully over the bar.
Wanderers might have bigger plans this season but if they can use the group stages to keep players fit and firing, bringing youngsters like Matheson into contention, then by the New Year the prospect of another trophy hunt might be too good to turn down. This was a pretty impressive start.