Peterborough and Bolton warmed up for the League One play-offs by serving up a topsy-turvy 3-3 thriller.

Bolton arrived still with a glimmer of hope of claiming automatic promotion – needing a victory here, a defeat for second-placed Derby and a four-goal swing.

And they meant business with Kyle Dempsey heading them into a fourth-minute lead from Randell Williams’ left-wing cross.

Their advantage quickly doubled as Dion Charles sent Posh goalkeeper Jed Steer the wrong way from the penalty spot in the eighth minute after Hector Kyprianou clumsily brought down Williams.

But those goals were sandwiched by a breakthrough for Derby against bottom side Carlisle, which all-but ended Wanderers’ top-two dream.

And Ian Evatt’s men saw their grip on this game broken in the second half when they were stung by a stunning Posh comeback.

Malik Mothersille tapped in a David Ajiboye cross after 50 minutes to launch the revival before Joel Randall raced clear onto an Ephron Mason-Clark pass and brilliantly finished in the 67th minute to level.

The turnaround was completed in the 80th minute when Randall turned provider for Mothersille to strike again, but a hard-earned lead proved to be short-lived for Darren Ferguson’s men.

Bolton hit back only two minutes later as substitute Nathanael Ogbeta’s cross was converted by fellow replacement Cameron Jerome as it ended level between two teams who could meet again at Wembley for a place in the Championship.