Bolton 1 Newcastle 0: Bolton manager Gary Megson saw his side chalk up a second successive home win after pledging his long-term future to the club.

Megson, whose current deal has 18 months to run, has agreed a new rolling contract. The news was confirmed by the club minutes before kick-off against Newcastle today.

Wanderers’ win came courtesy of a substitution as well, Megson bringing on Ricardo Gardner for Fabrice Muamba at half-time and the Jamaica midfielder making an instant impact with the only goal of the game.

Gardner made the breakthrough in the 46th minute, his third goal of the season enough to add another three Barclays Premier League points following last week’s win against West Ham at the Reebok Stadium.

By contrast, this remains a worrying time for Newcastle and owner Mike Ashley, who looked disconsolate at the end of the match.

The Magpies are still far from safe and face Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal in three of their next four games.

Bolton almost got off to a flying start with John Elmander’s effort was scrambled away by Jose Enrique.

Elmander should then have put Bolton ahead in the 18th minute when Matt Taylor delivered the cross, but he hoisted his effort from in front of goal over the bar.

Bolton kept up the pressure, and Mark Davies saw an inswinging free-kick from 25 yards go narrowly wide of the post in the 28th minute.

Goalkeeper Steve Harper seem to have the ball covered, but it finished only a yard or two outside the post.

Two minutes later, Taylor tested Harper at the near post following a flick-on from Kevin Davies.

Newcastle responded in the 33rd minute when Jussi Jaaskelainen did well to parry a header from Obafemi Martins after a corner from Ryan Taylor.

Martins should have perhaps done better three minutes before the break. But, unmarked, he steered a close-range header over the bar following a cross from Jonas Gutierrez.

Elmander got into a decent position on the stroke of half-time, after being released by Kevin Davies, but scuffed a shot into the ground.

Bolton brought Gardner on for the second half, and the switch paid an instant dividend in the 46th minute.

Gardner sent his first-time effort over the head of Harper following a low cross from Taylor.

Bolton were growing in confidence, and Kevin Davies tried to pick out Taylor in the 59th minute following a free-kick from O’Brien, but put too much weight on his header.

Newcastle hit back a minute later thanks to a surging run from Gutierrez, before he was upended by Gary Cahill. However, Ryan Taylor sent his free-kick wide of the post.

Nicky Butt then picked out Martins, and he turned quickly only to send his effort into Jaaskelainen’s body.

Butt was struggling after coming off second best against Elmander and was eventually replaced in the 66th minute by Geremi.

Newcastle suddenly stepped up the pace, and Shola Ameobi saw his effort turned around the post by Jaaskelainen in the 75th minute after being set up Martins.

Geremi then cracked in thunderous half-volley that was only marginally off-target, before Peter Lovenkrands scuffed a shot wide.