Zat Knight's first goal since moving to Bolton was the match-winner Saturday at the Reebok. (Photo: ZumaPress)
Audio match report available at the bottom of this article.
It was Knight’s first goal for Bolton, having moved to the Wanderers this summer from Aston Villa. The big central defender redirected a Lee Chung-Yong pass past Marcus Hanhemann for the match’s only goal.
Bolton was the class side after the opening whistle, finally showing some of the football Owen Coyle was brought in to instill. Starting both Jack Wilshire and Stuart Holden in midfield, the hosts was able to move the ball through Wolves’ defense, keeping the ball on the ground while moving directly through the heart of midfield.
Despite this advantage, Wolves were able to create a few anxious first half moments for the Reebok crowd, winning early corners that hinted Bolton’s advantages would prove ineffectual.
It wasn’t until half-way through the first – around the twenty-fifth minute – that Bolton started converting their technical superiority into chances.
In the 30th minute, a wayward header from Christophe Berra gave Kevin Davies an unmarked chance from fifteen meters at Marcus Hanhemann’s right post. The ‘keeper burst off his line fast enough to close down the angles, but the well-saved shot rebounded Bolton striker John Elmander near the spot. The heavy-footed Swede blasted a shot that stayed out of an unprotected net only through the efforts of a diving Jody Craddock.
That opportunity, though gifted by Berra, may have been the first sign of Bolton’s ascendancy, their pressure wearing the Wolves defense. That sprain may have been a factor in Bolton’s goal
A corner from the goalkeeper’s left in the first minute of stoppage time played to the middle of goal and won by Grentar Steinsson, whose attempted shot galnced off his head, wide right of goal, and appeared destined to go out for a goal kick. Winger Lee Chong-yong saved the ball from going out, danced through a late-arriving defender and long the goal line before finding Zat Knight just inside the six for an each redirection past Hanhemann.
Bolton opened the second half looking to quickly double their lead, but a penalty appeal on a Ronald Zubar hand ball and a poor finish on from Kevin Davies after Fabrice Muamba put him alone on Hanhemann kept Wolves within striking distance.
During the middle of the second half, it looked like Wolves would capitalize, freely moving through Bolton and into attack. Twice Wolverhampton found the woodwork, and another time a sprawling Sam Ricketts blocked a eight yard shot from Matthew Jarvis, the result of good work between the midfielder and forward Kevin Doyle.
Wolves’ period of threatening ended shortly after Ivan Klasnic came on. Replacing Elmander, who had one of his better recent performances, the Croat found two opportunities for shots, included a highly-skilled attempt from 20 meters when he had to react quickly to volley toward goal a strongly struck, elevated pass.
Klasnic’s threats rocked a Wolves side that had become progressively more ambitious over the preceding twenty minutes. The adjustment Mick McCarthy’s side was forced to make helped bleed the last ten minutes of the match, giving Bolton a 1-0 win in a match which would have been 3-2 had either side had more skillful goal scorers.
It was an open match, the kind of football Bolton had hoped to play after bringing Coyle in. Wolves, however, may have been the only club in the league against whom this performance would have garnered three points. Regardless, Bolton’s three points were enough to lift them out of the drop zone.
Wolves sat in 17th place at the final whistle, with Hull City taking Bolton’s place in the drop zone.
Of note was the league debut of Stuart Holden, Bolton’s winter window acquisition from Major League Soccer. Holden went the full ninety, provided very good set piece service but also failed to make an impact during Wolves’ second half ascendancy.
Click the inline player, below, for an audio match report:
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