Bolton nail Hammers

Gianfranco Zola suffered his first league defeat as West Ham boss after seeing his side go down 3-1 to Bolton at Upton Park.

Trotters pick up first away win

Gianfranco Zola suffered his first league defeat as West Ham boss after seeing his side go down 3-1 to Bolton at Upton Park. Goals from Kevin Davies, Gary Cahill and substitute Matt Taylor were enough to give Bolton their first away win of the campaign and rendering Carlton Cole's goal a mere consolation. Bolton were gifted the opener on the half hour mark when Robert Green fumbled a high ball into the box to the feet of Kevin Davies who gleefully poked the ball into the empty net. Cahill doubled the lead four minutes later with his first goal for the club when he reacted quickest to score from close range after Green had done well to parry Gretar Steinsson's fierce shot. Cole reduced the arrears on 69 minutes when he headed home in off the underside of the crossbar. Bolton made the game safe four minutes from time when Taylor cracked a brilliant free-kick past a startled Green. The first decent opening came after 12 minutes. Cole, the Hammers main attacking threat following injury to England striker Dean Ashton, collected the ball 25 yards out and made space for a shot, which flew just over the crossbar. Bolton broke quickly and had a sight of goal themselves when Sweden forward Johan Elmander was slipped through, but his effort lacked any power to trouble Green. West Ham threatened again when on-loan full-back Herita Ilunga burst into the left side of the penalty area and towards the goal-line before his low, angled effort was blocked by Jlloyd Samuel. In the 29th minute, Valon Behrami tried his luck from 20 yards with a low strike which skidded off the wet surface and just wide of the left-hand post.

Mistake

However, it was Bolton who took the lead on the half-hour following a bad error by Green. The keeper came to the edge of his area to make what should have been a routine collection from a high ball. However, the England squad man fumbled and promptly dropped the ball right at the feet of Davies, who hooked it into an empty net. Before the Hammers had time to regroup, they were further behind. A free-kick into the penalty area was headed out, but only as far as Gretar Steinsson, who sent in a fierce low strike. Green got down quickly to make a decent reaction save - but the ball broke lose and Cahill was on hand to prod it over the line for his first Bolton goal since a £5million move from Aston Villa in January. West Ham looked to find an early way back into the match following the restart, but despite continued possession, the home side again lacked ideas in the final third. However, only a stunning save from Jussi Jaaskelainen prevented them from pulling a goal back on 50 minutes. Cole made space for himself to turn some 25 yards out and sent in a looping shot which flew over the Bolton keeper - but he somehow got his trailing hand to the ball and pushed it onto the post. After Wales striker Craig Bellamy was sent on, the home side upped the pace, but too often gave away possession. Gavin McCann almost wrapped things up for Bolton with a side-foot effort from 25 yards which skidded just wide. Jaaskelainen spilled a long-range shot from Scott Parker, but there were no West Ham players following up - much to the despair of the Upton Park faithful behind the goal.

Lifeline

The Hammers then had a lifeline on 68 minutes. Matthew Etherington's corner from the right was nodded back into the six-yard box where Cole arrived to head the ball in off the underside of the crossbar and chalk up a fourth goal of the season. However, Bolton sealed a first away victory of the campaign when substitute Taylor smashed in a 30-yard free-kick four minutes from time.

West Ham United	Team Statistics	Bolton Wanderers
1	Goals	3
0	1st Half Goals	2
4	Shots on Target	6
10	Shots off Target	6
3	Blocked Shots	1
7	Corners	7
15	Fouls	8
5	Offsides	1
4	Yellow Cards	3
0	Red Cards	0
84.2	Passing Success	67.9
15	Tackles	20
60	Tackles Success	75
65.9	Possession	34.1
46.4	Territorial Advantage	53.6