Burnden Aces

Portsmouth 3-1 Bolton Wanderers

• August 18, 2007 | By Chris Mann
• Short URL: http://b-ac.es/a681d

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• Match Reports, Nicolas Anelka
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Goals from Kanu, Utaka and a Matthew Taylor penalty give Pompey the points after Nicolas Anelka had given Bolton a first half lead.

The result means Bolton are still in search of their first points of the season after three successive defeats have left them bottom of the table for the first time since November 2002.

Sammy Lee made two changes from the defeat at Fulham on Wednesday, with Andranik and Mikel Alonso coming in for Gavin McCann and goalscorer Heidar Helguson.

The visitors started the brighter of the two teams and made the advantage pay off when they took the lead after 12 minutes. El-Hadji Diouf held off Djimi Traore down the left flank and played in Nicolas Anelka who slotted the ball between the legs of David James for his second goal of the season.

But, just as they did on Wednesday, the Whites couldn't hold onto their lead and Kanu equalised just three minutes later.

Anelka looked to have been fouled by Hermann Hreidarsson on halfway, but as play continued, Gary O'Neil advanced down the right and put in a great cross, John Utaka headed the ball into Kanu's path for the Nigerian to place past Jussi Jaaskelainen.

Bolton hit back and almost took the lead again when Andranik's hopeful shot from 25-yards took a deflection but James got across goal to parry to safety.

Despite the possession advantage Bolton had, it was Portsmouth who took control of the game on the half hour. Anelka's miscontrol allowed Utaka to run with the ball from just inside his own half and after outpacing both Nicky Hunt and Gerald Cid, he took the ball round Jaaskelainen and put the ball into the net to make it 2-1 to the hosts.

Just before the break, Bolton almost got an equaliser out of nothing, a long throw from Andranik was left by everybody and Anelka tried a volley which went about a yard wide of the target.

Lee made a change at half-time, replacing Andranik with Christian Wilhelmsson, with the Swede making his debut for the club.

Utaka had a good chance to extend Pompey's lead just after the break, a well worked move down the left ended with Utaka hitting a half-volley straight at Jaaskelainen.

Gary Speed was handed the captain's armband on 55 minutes, when Kevin Nolan was replaced by Daniel Braaten for his second appearance in four days.

Moments later, Speed almost brought Bolton level, an El-Hadji Diouf was met by the Welshman at the back post and with his header destined for the top corner, James threw himself cross goal to prevent the equaliser.

With his last throw of the dice, Lee brought Helguson on for Nicky Hunt in an attacking change, but it backfired on him when with two minutes of normal time remaining, Portsmouth were given a penalty after Cid brought Kanu down in the area.

Matt Taylor stepped up to convert the penalty, sending Jaaskelainen the wrong way in the process and giving Portsmouth the points, leaving Bolton routed to the bottom of the table.

Portsmouth: James, Traore, Hreidarsson, Distin, Taylor, O'Neil (Cranie 82), Davis, Hughes, Utaka, Benjani (Nugent 73), Kanu (Mvuemba 90)
Subs Not Used: Ashdown, Duffy
Goals: Kanu 16, Utaka 30, Taylor 88(pen)

Bolton Wanderers: Jaaskelainen, Hunt (Helguson 86), Cid, Meite, Samuel, Teymourian (Wilhelmsson 46), Alonso, Speed, Diouf, Nolan (Braaten 56), Anelka
Subs Not Used: Al Habsi, Sinclair
Booked: Hunt, Speed
Goals: Anelka 12

Attendance: 17,108
Referee: Steve Tanner

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