Soccer English League Cup Semi-final, first leg: A night of unremitting drama, exhilarating football, outrageous goals and Jay-Jay Okocha orchestrating, ended with Sam Allardyce daring to eye his first cup final in a career spanning four decades and David O'Leary regretting the defensive foibles of his Aston Villa side last night.
After leaking three goals inside the opening 17 minutes, Villa's response was of a team incensed by their own generosity but, having bravely pulled the score back to 3-2, their comeback was abruptly ended by the towering header with which Bruno N'Gotty eased Bolton's nerves and Okocha's second brilliant free-kick of the match.
Okocha flies to Tunisia today for the African Nations Cup and, as leaving presents go, his contributions to a night of superlatives could hardly have been bettered.
Okocha is perhaps the most aesthetically pleasing individual in the Premiership right now and it is an oddity of an excellent period in the Nigerian's career that his two free-kicks gave him a total of only three goals for the season.
The other was also a free-kick, coming in the fourth round of this competition at Liverpool and, providing Bolton avoid a capitulation in the return leg at Villa Park, they will surely dedicate the achievement to their captain in absentia.
Not that Bolton could ever be described as a one-man show. The renaissance of Kevin Davies has been one of the season's more endearing stories and his indefatigable running and aerial strength were crucial to Bolton establishing their early advantage.
Twice in quick succession the striker's ability to flick on high balls exposed a vulnerable visiting defence. First to capitalise was Kevin Nolan, who was allowed to run unchallenged through the Villa ranks, eluding Olof Mellberg and driving his shot into the bottom right-hand corner of Thomas Sorensen's net.
Then, continuing the theme of excellent goals, Okocha headed on N'Gotty's free-kick and, with an acrobatic flourish, the Greek midfielder Stelios Giannakopoulos scissor-kicked a volley past Sorensen to make it 3-0 with some of those in claret and blue yet to get mud on their knees.
Within three minutes a truly superlative goal from Juan Pablo Angel offered Villa hope. Angel had to produce something special to outdo Giannakopoulos's goal and he managed exactly that with an exquisite drag-back and nutmeg to embarrass Davies on the right wing, followed by a looping shot over Jussi Jaaskelainen from such a difficult angle it was impudent even to think he could beat the goalkeeper.
With Villa regaining some lost confidence and Angel, in particular, looking sharp and incisive, Jaaskelainen had to save bravely from Gavin McCann just before the interval and the visitors began the second half as if determined to make up for their aberrations during the first period.
Their efforts were commendable but it was easy to sympathise with Bolton's complaints that an offside flag should have been raised to prevent Villa making it 3-2. The video replays on the stadium's giant screen certainly did little to reduce the home fans' suspicion that Angel was twice in an illegal position when a fine counterattack finished with Darius Vassell, at the second attempt, turning Gareth Barry's drive through a congested penalty area, the ball deflecting off his strike partner before looping in.
Bolton now looked rocky but when N'Gotty thundered in Youri Djorkaeff's corner they re-emerged as a side of attacking enterprise, Okocha having the final say with a shot that was still rising as it hit the net.
Allardyce was understandably satisfied. "Taking three goals back to the second leg is more than anyone could have asked," he said.
"I have to stand here and wonder how to describe that game. Some of the football played was awesome. I'm just glad we came out on top.
"We have got to sign him (Okocha) up. He is an inspiration and probably the best player this club has ever seen, from a talent point of view. He is something to build the team around."
BOLTON: Jaaskelainen; Hunt, N'Gotty, Thome, Barness (Charlton 63), Campo, Giannakopoulos (Pedersen 69), Djorkaeff (Ba 84), Okocha, Nolan, Davies. Subs Not Used: Poole, Javi Moreno. Goals: Okocha 2, Nolan 9, Giannakopoulos 17, N'Gotty 74, Okocha 80.
ASTON VILLA: Sorensen; Delaney, Mellberg (Johnsen 54), Dublin, Samuel, Hendrie, McCann, Whittingham, Barry (Hitzlsperger 57), Angel, Vassell (Allback 77). Subs Not Used: Postma, De la Cruz. Booked: McCann, Vassell, Hendrie, Dublin. Goals: Angel 20, 56.
Referee: P Durkin (Dorset).
