Sport

Bolton fight back, on and off the field

Portsmouth 0 Bolton 1: It is often said that a football team is a reflection of its manager

Jeremy Wilson at Fratton Park
Tue Sept 26 2006 - 01:00

Portsmouth 0 Bolton 1: It is often said that a football team is a reflection of its manager. It was, therefore, of little surprise to see Bolton Wanderers come out fighting last night.

Off the field, Sam Allardyce has suffered a week he would want to forget, yet the sense of injustice which swirls around Bolton following last Tuesday's Panorama programme appears to have had a galvanising effect on his team.

The captain Kevin Nolan had spoken of the desire to use the negative portrayal of their manager as motivation for a positive reaction on the pitch, and although Bolton were outplayed for long periods at Fratton Park, they clung on for a 1-0 win.

Given his strong support for Allardyce, it was fitting Nolan should score the decisive goal. It may also prove well timed from a personal point of view, with Steve McClaren needing to find midfield reinforcements for England following the injury to Owen Hargreaves.

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Kevin Davies has been Bolton's focal point in recent seasons, but, although he returned after a month out with a fractured cheekbone, Nicolas Anelka played at the tip of Sam Allardyce's usual system. Despite concerns about how best to combat Bolton's five-man midfield, Harry Redknapp stuck with the players - and system - which had taken Portsmouth to the Premiership's summit.

With effective use of Matthew Taylor and Gary O'Neil out wide his team quickly found their stride and created two golden opportunities inside five minutes. Sol Campbell timed his run perfectly to meet Taylor's inswinging corner, but guided his free header narrowly wide. Moments later Portsmouth went even closer when Jussi Jaaskelainen touched Sean Davis's powerful volley onto the inside of the post.

Dejan Stefanovic and Kanu both tested Jaaskelainen with dipping first-half shots from just outside the penalty area. Although soaking up considerable pressure, Bolton's success of recent years has been largely built on the danger they provide from set-pieces and so it proved as they took the lead on 22 minutes completely against the run of play.

An innocuous-looking free-kick was launched into the Portsmouth penalty area, but Linvoy Primus's headed clearance fell directly at the feet of a lurking Kevin Nolan and his first-time volley nestled into the corner of David James's goal. It was the first goal Portsmouth had conceded in 473 minutes of Premiership football.

Portsmouth continued to create chances after the interval, but as they battled to get back into the game, they were often guilty of playing too many long balls.

It was the not quite the perfect ending for the departing Portsmouth chairman, Milan Mandaric, but he was given a rousing send-off. After taking over at Fratton Park in 1999 with the club in administration and struggling in what is now the Championship, Mandaric departs with Portsmouth second in the Premiership.

"You asked me many times if I would leave you when it was going badly and I said 'No'. Now with the club where it is I feel it is the right time," he told the crowd prior to kick-off. He will be a hard act to follow.

PORTSMOUTH: James, Johnson, Primus, Campbell, Stefanovic, O'Neil, Pedro Mendes (Thompson 75), Davis, Taylor (LuaLua 57), Kanu, Mwaruwari (Fernandes 75). Subs not used: Kiely, Pamarot. Booked: Taylor, Stefanovic.

BOLTON: Jaaskelainen, Hunt, Faye, Meite, Ben Haim, Nolan,Campo (Tal 74), Speed, Davies, Anelka (Vaz Te 87), Diouf (Giannakopoulos 90). Subs not used: Walker, Fojut. Booked: Campo, Ben Haim. Goals: Nolan 22.

Referee: U Rennie (S Yorkshire).