Keith Hill enjoyed a happy return to his former club as goals from Peter Clarke, Kieron Morris and James Vaughan earned Tranmere a 3-0 Sky Bet League Two win at Bolton

Hill’s 10-month stint as Wanderers’ boss ended in June, three months after taking charge for the final time against Burton.

Apart from the opening 20 minutes, when top scorer Eoin Doyle twice went close for the hosts, Tranmere were comfortable winners – bouncing back from the previous week’s 5-0 hammering at Exeter in style.

Veteran defender Clarke, 39 next month, headed in former Bolton winger Liam Feeney’s 28th-minute corner to open the scoring.

Tranmere shrugged off the 57th-minute loss of injured former Trotters captain Jay Spearing to wrap up the points with two goals in seven minutes.

Morris swept home his fourth goal of the season with a 25-yard right foot shot for which goalkeeper Matt Gilks barely moved.

And after Alex Baptiste handled a shot from substitute Morgan Ferrier, Vaughan blasted in a 75th-minute penalty for his 12th goal of the campaign.