Wanderers had the better of the play throughout and may feel hard done by that they didn't get at least a point out of the game but the battling display by the Cottagers especially in the final quarter of the match ensued that the points went the way of the West London side.
Bolton could have taken the lead with less than a minute on the clock, Kevin Davies flicked on a long ball from Simon Charlton to Kevin Nolan but the young scouser found his shot well saved by Edwin Van Der Saar in the Fulham goal.
On 22 minutes Japanese international Junichi Inamoto then set up midfielder Lee Clark for the home sides first opportunity of the game but the former Newcastle United man couldn't keep his shot down and the Bolton keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen watched the ball sail over the crossbar.
Youri Djorkaeff, much the architecht in the Bolton team had a half chance to hit back but once again Van Der Saar was on hand to keep the French World Cup winner at bay.
On the half hour mark Inamoto wasted a golden chance for Chris Coleman's men having headed over following good work by both Lee Clark and the on loan Arsenal defender Moritz Volz and former Gunner Inamoto later wasted another chance having been faced in a one on one with Bolton keeper Jaaskelainen.
Bolton came out in the second half all guns blazing and it didn't take them long to get their noses in front. Kevin Davies gave the Trotters the lead on 52 minutes after Jay-Jay Okocha's long throw was flicked on by Ivan Campo, former Southampton striker Davies then was on hand to volley the resulting ball past Van Der Saar.
Less than a minute later Davies could have further increased the Bolton lead but his downward header from Ricardo Gardner's cross bounced over the Fulham crossbar.
Ivan Campo then found himself in the final third of the field having been set up well by Youri Djorkaeff but the Wanderers midfielder could not find a way past the resilient Dutch keeper Van Der Saar in the Fulham goal.
Then with fifteen minutes remaining Bolton gave the game away, Fulham playmaker Malbranque hit a post and then Barry Hayles, on as a substitute for Junichi Inamoto squared the ball to the much coveted midfielder Sean Davis who then fired home past Jaaskelainen from twelve yards.
Within a minute of drawing level the home side hit the winner. Ricardo Gardner gave the ball away for Wanderers allowing Argentine substitute Sava to fire the loose ball past Jaaskelainen into the right hand corner of the net to continue Fulham's quest for a European place.
However Bolton where unlucky not to get a last minute equaliser when substitute Mario Jardel saw his header hit the inside of the post landing into the arms of the grateful Cottagers keeper.
So a five game unbeaten run ends, but a mid table position still remains, Wanderers need to keep plugging away and grinding out results but most of all keep the beleif that they have the ability to compete at this level, a hard month awaits with Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool all coming up as well as a Carling Cup Quarter Final against Southampton but we should have nothing to fear and just go out there and do our best.