BOLTON WANDERERS 2 MANCHESTER CITY 0:WHETHER IT proves to be no more than a stay of execution remains to be seen, but Bolton Wanderers showed sufficient spirit yesterday to suggest that Gary Megson will be their manager for a few games yet.

In a match of little coherence but growing intensity, in the second half at least, Megson's side created a goal of a quality out of keeping with much of what had gone before but it reflected the manner in which they had outfought their expensively assembled opponents.

Given that Bolton had failed to score in their previous three games, the late withdrawal of the €10 million centre-forward Johan Elmander did not bode well for their chances of putting City underpressure, but it did enable Megson to bring back the previously suspended Gavin McCann as part of a five-man midfield, with Kevin Davies sent to plough an essentially solitary furrow up front.

With the game becoming stretched in the second half Bolton's long drought finally broke. Muamba's stumbling pass to Kevin Nolan might have had an element of good fortune about it but it enabled the midfielder to play a superb first-time ball into the path of Gretar Steinsson, breaking down the right wing. The Icelander's low, curling cross, played invitingly along the six-yard line, was joyfully turned in by Ricardo Gardner for his first goal since 2002.

With three minutes remaining Bolton made the points safe. Jlloyd Samuel put Gardner in the clear down the left, and another low, firm cross was turned into his own net by Richard Dunne, with Davies in attendance.

Guardian Service