Bolton boosted their survival hopes with a 2-0 win over fellow strugglers Reading at the Madejski Stadium.
Reading sliding closer to drop zone
Bolton boosted their survival hopes with a 2-0 win over fellow strugglers Reading.
Goals from Kevin Nolan and Heidar Helguson were enough to give Gary Megson's men all three points.
The win could have been more convincing for Bolton had Matt Taylor not seen his penalty saved by Marcus Hahnemann
The win was Bolton's first away victory of the season, while the defeat was Reading's fifth successive reverse in the league.
After that the visitors began to take control and there was a let-off for Reading in the 23rd minute when Hahnemann pulled off a penalty save to deny Matt Taylor.
New signing Marek Matejovsky was the man who gave it away, with the Czech Republic midfielder marking his first start with a clumsy challenge on Gretar Steinsson just inside the box.
Hahnemann guessed correctly with a dive to his left to add to his denial of Robbie Keane at Tottenham five games previously. The American ended up conceding six that afternoon, however, and it was not long before he was picking the ball out of the net as Bolton turned their new-found superiority into a lead.
Opener
Leroy Lita had been booked for dissent after Matejovsky had given away a free-kick and the Reading back-line failed to deal with Jaaskelainen's long-ball into the box.
Kevin Davies out-jumped Kalifa Cisse to head across the danger zone where Nolan had arrived to slot home from 10 yards. It was his fifth goal of the season and Bolton's first in four games.
Bolton's new £5million signing from Aston Villa, Gary Cahill, had to concede a corner as Reading came out fighting and Ivan Campo almost put through his own goal from the Nicky Shorey set-piece.
Danny Guthrie was perfectly placed to hack off the line on that occasion but Reading had only themselves to blame when Ivar Ingimarsson scuffed wide from 10 yards from the next attack after the defender's initial shot had been blocked by a defender.
Clincher
It was to prove costly as Bolton then doubled their lead through their own Icelander, Helguson, who poked past Hahnemann in the 58th minute after Taylor's initial shot had been partially blocked.
The home fans were convinced the former Fulham man should have been flagged offside as no defender was near him as he applied the finish to net only his second goal of the season. But television replays showed the linesman on the far side had made a correct call.
Shorey saw a free-kick saved by Jaaskelainen and Reading sent on their own returning Senegalese, Ibrahima Sonko, in the hope the centre-back might get on the end of a high ball into the box.
But those are Bolton's speciality and the Trotters held firm to bank three vital points.
| Reading |
Team Statistics |
Bolton Wanderers |
| 0 |
Goals |
2 |
| 0 |
1st Half Goals |
1 |
| 4 |
Shots on Target |
4 |
| 4 |
Shots off Target |
5 |
| 4 |
Blocked Shots |
4 |
| 12 |
Corners |
3 |
| 14 |
Fouls |
20 |
| 3 |
Offsides |
4 |
| 3 |
Yellow Cards |
1 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 62.5 |
Passing Success |
65.8 |
| 19 |
Tackles |
16 |
| 100 |
Tackles Success |
93.8 |
| 50.4 |
Possession |
49.6 |
| 60.6 |
Territorial Advantage |
39.4 |
|
