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A last minute winner from Joleon Lescott condemned Bolton to their fourth defeat in five games as Everton were victorious at the Reebok. Nicolas Anelka had earlier equalised for the hosts after Yakubu had given the Toffee's the lead on his debut. Bolton manager Sammy Lee kept faith with the same 11 that comprehensively beat Reading 3-0 last weekend, hoping for a second successive victory to ease the pressure on his team. But it was the visitors who had the first chance of the game with Mikel Arteta taking a free-kick which went straight into the crowd. Everton didn't have to wait long to break the deadlock though. Nicolas Anelka gave possession away, allowing Andy Johnson to stroll past Gerald Cid down the right, before pulling the ball back to Yakubu who placed the ball past Jussi Jaaskelainen in the Bolton goal. They were pegged back almost immediately, with Mikel Alonso testing Tim Howard in goal who pulled off a great save with the Spaniard's volley destined for the top corner. Next up, El-Hadji Diouf went down in the area after a challenge from Lee Carsley, but referee Peter Walton waved away the appeals for a penalty with television replays suggesting he got the decision wrong. Moments later, the Senegalese international went close, volleying over the bar after expertly controlling the ball with his chest. Alonso had another chance, cutting inside after receiving the ball from Anelka and unleashing a tremendous shot which hit the woodwork, with the goalkeeper beaten. The visitors went in one-up at the break, causing Lee to bring Andy O'Brien on for his first-team debut in place of Gerald Cid. Wanderers equalised ten minutes into the second-half when a cross from Diouf was only half-cleared by the Everton defence and Anelka volleyed home off the underside of the crossbar to send the Reebok wild. At this stage, it looked as though there would only be one winner and Kevin Nolan should have put the hosts infront minutes later but failed to control his volley at the far post after good work from Anelka. The Toffee's were denied the lead soon after, when Abdoulaye Meite was caught in possession by Andy Johnson, but Jaaskelainen made himself big and diverted the England international's shot behind for a corner. But in the final minute of normal time, Thomas Gravesen's corner was aimed towards Lescott in the centre and after outjumping O'Brien, he headed past Jaaskelainen to send the travelling supporters into raptures. Bolton will now have two-weeks off before travelling to St.Andrews to face Birmingham, hopeful of pulling themselves away from the bottom three. |
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