Premier League - Bolton move off bottom

Eurosport - Mon, 03 Nov 11:52:00 2008

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

Ricardo Gardner - Botlon - 0

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

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  1. well done bolton join stockport in tanning city's­ @#$% !!!

    From nlwarburton, on Sun 2 Nov 8:48PM

  2. ive just wrote a comment on how Dunne is a liability­ and got Invalid comment!, yet i can write "get off­ this site you dick2 and it gets accepted??......come­ on!!???

    From Chris W, on Sun 2 Nov 8:38PM

  3. GREAT STUFF BOLTON KEEP IT GOING NEXT WEEK AT HULL.­ FROM ROLLERMAN 24

    From royaloakcottage, on Sun 2 Nov 8:34PM

  4. I've been a city fan for over 30 years and coached­ football over the past 4 years, i have to say that­ todays performance was one of the worst i have seen­ from ANY footballing side.
    Richards was appauling,­ however i do think he plays badly at left back to prove­ a point, he just cannot play that position as he only­ has a right boot. when professional players cannot­ string 3 passes together against a side propping up the­ premiership table then it time to ask if the guy in­ charge is capable of the job. A club manager cannot­ stand up and say his side are "vunerable on the­ road" these guys get paid a kings ransom each­ week, he need to kick arse and cut away the dead wood­ or Mark Hughes will be getting his P45 very soon. i am­ realistic and i think city will be lucky to finish in­ the top 12 this season unless attitudes change quickly.

    From karl s, on Sun 2 Nov 8:21PM

  5. wait till january

    From masomenos, on Sun 2 Nov 8:19PM

  6. Hughes will be sacked before January.
    There is­ absolutely no way the Arabs will trust him with their­ zillions; he's an incredibly hopeless manager - and­ as bad a loser as his mentor too!!!!! Even Newcastle­ can beat this truly, truly awful Bolton side.

    From cameron w, on Sun 2 Nov 8:19PM

  7. owner. oh yeah dont work does it?

    From Steven H, on Sun 2 Nov 8:15PM

  8. were to lightweight all over the park dunne/s u/s the­ brazilians r ok on an nice day when things r going ok­ but when its time 2 fight there like the french­ surrender .please help us in jan

    From darren w, on Sun 2 Nov 8:09PM

  9. haahahahahahaha top 4 oh my stomach is hurting.

    From alan, on Sun 2 Nov 8:01PM

  10. It's funny in this website, if I try to write­ o.w.n.e.r it rejects it for ''invalid­ message'', and when i use the word @#$% it­ works fine. so i take it it is better to be a @#$% than­ an o.w.n.e.r of an English club?

    From Half A Brain, on Sun 2 Nov 7:56PM

  11. According to the new o.w.n.e.r.s, they want to be Top 4­ this year, and win the EPL next year. Well I think they­ will bottom 4 this year and they will be relegated next­ year.. unless they get a coach worth their ambitions.

    From Half A Brain, on Sun 2 Nov 7:55PM

  12. Bolton have been pretty poor this year but they have a­ fine tradition and will fight not to go down. I have­ some sympathy with what is said about Man City with all­ that cash but please do not blame Sparky. Have you seen­ Robinho sulk when things are not going right? He cannot­ be bothered.

    From taff, on Sun 2 Nov 7:55PM

  13. Robinho.....waste of money.. should have come to­ chelsea.

    From nickjonests, on Sun 2 Nov 7:45PM

  14. All that money and still @#$%­ hahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!
    Some things will never­ change!!
    Y.N.W.A

    From John, on Sun 2 Nov 7:41PM

  15. Mark Hughes' tactics are not working, Hughsie­ should get back to a 4-4-2 and stop trying to rely on­ youngsters on their own up front, Evans & Sturridge­ are decent players but are not good enough to be­ leading City's front line single handed.

    Roll on­ January but if City's poor form continues Mark­ Hughes might not be around to start spending some of­ the money 1 win in 5 and 10th spot in the table is­ simply not good enough.

    From JOHN, on Sun 2 Nov 7:40PM

  16. face it lads city are c'ap

    From phillip, on Sun 2 Nov 7:39PM

  17. HA!!! Beautiful! How great would it be to see M City­ and all its cash relegated?!?! Won't happen, but I­ can dream! Way to go, Bolton!

    From shoo, on Sun 2 Nov 7:38PM

  18. well done bolton.(villa fan)

    From alan, on Sun 2 Nov 7:37PM

  19. come on robinho get lost from man.city there just the­ team wasted your time!!! hahaahahah

    From MUHAMMAD MUSA BIN MOHD ZAIDIN, on Sun 2 Nov 7:36PM

  20. Sturridge is 10 times better than evans!!

    Whats hughes­ thinking?

    From paulsheridan, on Sun 2 Nov 7:29PM
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