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Manchester City's troubles on the road continued as they slumped to a 2-0 defeat against Bolton at the Reebok Stadium.

Bolton took the lead with just 14 minutes left on the clock thanks to a goal from substitute Ricardo Gardner.

City captain Richard Dunne then turned the ball into his own net from a Gardner cross with two minutes left to ensure that Bolton moved off the bottom of the table and out of the relegation zone.

Bolton's victory came despite the absence of their record signing Johan Elmander, who was missing from their squad due to injury. Midfielder Gavin McCann returned from suspension to take the Swedish striker's place in Gary Megson's line-up.

City were also missing a key man up front. Summer signing Jo was expected to return from injury for this match but as it was the game came too soon for the Brazilian. Ched Evans was preferred to fellow youngster Daniel Sturridge as the lone frontman in Mark Hughes's team.

Hughes had bemoaned his side's vulnerability on the road after their midweek defeat at Middlesbrough, and had clearly instructed his charges to start cautiously at the Reebok.

With Bolton playing five in midfield, the two sides' tactics cancelled each other out in a stale opening half-hour. The clearest openings in that period came for Bolton thanks to defensive lapses by City defenders.

First Mustapha Riga was presented with a half chance after City keeper Joe Hart had inexplicably passed the ball straight to the winger in space on the right just outside the City area. But Riga failed to capitalise on the opening as he blazed a shot high and wide when looking for support would have been a better option.

Another mix-up in the City defence put Bolton's McCann through on goal on the half-hour mark, but the former Villa man slipped just as he seemed set to test the City keeper.

City came alive in the last few minutes of the first half, carving out good chances for Stephen Ireland and Evans, but on both occasions Bolton keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen denied the visitors with smart saves.

With three minutes left of the half Ireland was denied by Jaaskelainen after being put in a one-on-one situation with the Bolton keeper by a cute pass from Evans. Then Evans was foiled in first-half injury time after Wright-Phillips had slipped the striker in on goal.

Man City created the first clear chance of the second-half too, when Robinho teased with Bolton right-back Gretar Steinsson before stinging Jaaskelainen's palms with a powerful right-footed effort on goal.

But it was the home side who made the breakthrough with 76 minutes gone, when Gardner scored from three yards out after he had burst forward from midfield to get on to a low Steinsson cross from the right which had left Joe Hart stranded at his near post.

City pushed forward in search of an equaliser late on but failed to create any clear openings. Then, as in their last outing at Middlesbrough, they were caught out on the break late on.

Gardner was involved again, this time sprinting down the left before crossing low towards Kevin Davies in the six-yard box. Davies seemed set to score his fifth league goal of the season, but Dunne intervened to turn the ball into his own net and condemn his side to their fourth away defeat of the season.

Ben Phillips / Eurosport