Shaun Wright-Phillips experienced a full range of emotions in Manchester City's six-goal demolition of Bolton whose five-match unbeaten league run came to a juddering halt.
The England Under-21 international must have felt on top of the world after scoring twice for the first time in a Premiership fixture.
But the elation was short-lived as, six minutes after his second strike, he was sent off for an over-zealous, rather than malicious challenge, on Bolton defender Simon Charlton.
Yet despite City's six-goal showing, their first-half display was far from convincing.
Manager Kevin Keegan admitted Bolton were the better side in the opening half.
He said: "I would have taken 2-1 in a poor game at that stage.
"I could never see it being 6-2 and yet we could have been talking about eight or nine as we had other good opportunities." Bolton could well have been two ahead before Kevin Nolan fired them in front midway through the opening period.
Wright-Phillips quickly equalised, though Ivan Campo ought to have given Bolton an interval lead heading wide when completely free inside the six-yard box.
It was an altogether different story in the second half with City's display far removed to their ineffective showing in the first 45 minutes.
They scored three times in the opening 13 minutes through Sylvain Distin, Wright-Phillips and Nicolas Anelka as City capitalised on some woeful Bolton defending.
Campo reduced the deficit to 4-2 on the hour with a delightful long-range strike and Wright-Phillips' dismissal gave Bolton renewed hope.
But any fears of a Bolton fightback disappeared when Anelka broke away to score his second and tenth of the season to restore a three-goal cushion.
And Claudio Reyna completed the scoring with City's sixth late on following good work by Antoine Sibierski.
Bolton manager Sam Allardyce was critical of his side for their suicidal streak saying they ought not to have chased the game after falling 2-1 behind explaining that this only played into City's hands.
He said: "It was diabolical and we showed a lack of discipline and organisation.
"We are also getting gilt-edged chances and you cannot afford to miss them in the Premiership.
"We weren't just punished, City stuffed us."