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It was a goal that had caused confusion. It appeared Clattenburg had given a penalty initially although there were appeals for handball from the Bolton players. Meanwhile the assistant referee stood with his flag held high before Clattenburg gave the goal.
Chris Eagles got round the full back and crossed. Chris Iwelumo knocked the ball back, and maybe it did come off his arm, for Elliott to score, the ball coming off goalkeeper Adam Bogdan but crossing the line. Eagles, now over the touchline on the ground was in no doubt that it had gone in.
If it hit Iwelumo's arm then that's all it did. The visiting manager's suggestion that he'd punched it was almost as ridiculous as his accusations that all five West Ham goals should have been disallowed when we played there last season.
That goal was enough to win it for us, but it didn't tell the full story as Burnley turned on their best home performance since the big comeback against Spurs at the end of last season.
I'm not sure what the attendance would have been for a Carling Cup tie at this stage against Bolton, but it was certainly increased because of the familiar look to their dug out with over 17,600 inside Turf Moor.
Brian Laws made three changes to the side that had drawn at Palace. Lee Grant came in for Brian Jensen in goal, Graham Alexander was back with Dean Marney dropping to the bench, and Jay Rodriguez got his first start of the season with Ross Wallace ruled out with a hamstring injury.
Bolton made a number of changes from Saturday. Former Burnley player Robbie Blake was in the line up as were their two new foreign imports, Rodrigo Moreno and Marcos Alonso. The Bolton fans were eager to see these new recruits but neither looked close to being ready for Premier League football. Alonso looked a bigger version of Fernando Guerrero and I'm sure they'll be spending time with Alonso at their Euxton training ground if they want him to continue taking throw ins.
In a game like this you hope to make a positive start and that's exactly what we did with Eagles devastating down the right hand side. He forced Hungarian Bogdan into a save in the very first minute and soon after crashed a shot against the bar, the second time he's hit the woodwork in two games.
The Premier League club with the small budget were all at sea and couldn't contain us but we couldn't get that opening goal and eventually they did come into the game. The closest they came brought a save from Grant with Tamir Cohen the player getting the shot in.
It was no more than a short dip for the Clarets. We came storming back in the latter part of the first half and anything Eagles can do so can Jay Rod. He became the second Burnley player to rattle the woodwork for a second successive game.
From well outside the box he hit a shot that hit angle of post and bar with Bogdan again looking relieved. Bogdan though, couldn't prevent us taking the lead right on half time, as he saved it from behind the line and surely no one, well hardly anyone, could begrudge us that half time lead.
After a bright start to the second half, when a second goal would surely have clinched it, Bolton came back with two opportunities of their own. Grant saved the first one with Danny Fox blocking the follow up and then Cohen had their best chance of the night but put his shot wide. He'd beaten Clarke Carlisle to get the shot in, the only time anyone got the better of Clarke all night.
Burnley continued to get forward at every opportunity and there were times when Andre Bikey was playing as an extra forward. Jack Cork, again in superb form, had a shot saved and then Jay Rod, brilliantly played in by Eagles, screwed a shot wide.
Bolton made changes, but in all honesty the number was up for them. Had they not won a couple of dubious looking free kicks within shooting distance for Matt Taylor I don't think they would have posed any threat at all.
The referee added on three minutes at the end, another free kick led to a corner but when that was cleared it was all over and we were able to start celebrating another win over a Premier League club in the cup.
Needless to say the Bolton manager was on again; he really does think it is all about him. Last night it was about Burnley Football Club, our performance and our result.
Man of the Match? Take your pick, I wouldn't disagree with anyone's choice so well did we play.
It was a game I didn't initially want to happen, but in the end it gave Burnley fans, and some of the players at the end, the chance to let the former manager know exactly what they thought of his deceit and actions at the beginning of this year.
He thought it was all about him - but it wasn't, it was all about BURNLEY last night, and a great performance and result.
The teams were;
Burnley: Lee Grant, Tyrone Mears, Clarke Carlisle, Andre Bikey, Danny Fox, Graham Alexander, Wade Elliott, Jack Cork, Chris Eagles (Martin Paterson 83), Chris Iwelumo (Steven Thompson 75), Jay Rodriguez (Dean Marney 88). Subs not used: Brian Jensen, Michael Duff, Leon Cort, Brian Easton.
Yellow Card: Dean Marney.
Bolton: Adam Bogdan, Gretar Steinsson, Zat Knight, Sam Ricketts, Marcos Alonso, Rodrigo Moreno (Chung-Yong Lee 73), Tamir Cohen, Mark Davies, Matt Taylor, Robbie Blake, Ivan Klasnic (Johan Elmander 73). Subs not used: Rob Lainton, Martin Petrov, Paul Robinson, Fabrice Muamba, Stuart Holden.
Yellow Cards: Tamir Cohen, Mark Davies.
Referee: Mark Clattenburg (Co Durham).
Attendance: 17,602.