Source: Telegraph
West Ham United 1 Bolton Wanderers 2: match report
Kevin Davies was described before kick-off by a local radio reporter - and West Ham United supporter - as a 'Premiership bully with next-to-no skill', but the Bolton Wanderers forward made a mockery of such mocking by leading his side to an invaluable victory. [LNB]Davies led from the front as Bolton made light of pre-match predictions to record only their third away league win of the season and move above West Ham, who had not conceded a league goal at home for more than six hours before this humiliation. [LNB]And Davies gave a lesson in forward play to Carlton Cole, West Ham's leading scorer, who had an off-day like most of his team-mates. [LNB]Bolton took the lead with a goal of beautiful simplicity in the tenth minute. Alessandro Diamanti went half-heartedly into a centre-circle challenge with Fabrice Muamba, who came away with the ball and fed Gretar Steinsson. [LNB]The full-back moved it on swiftly to Lee Chung-Yong on the right wing, and the Korean's cross from near the corner flag was arrowed straight at Kevin Davies, who climbed high above Julien Faubert to thump his header into the corner of Robert Green's goal. [LNB]That stunned Upton Park, with Bolton's small band of supporters barely audible, but within six minutes they were celebrating again as Jack Wilshere made it 2-0. [LNB]This time James Tomkins was at fault, the young West Ham defender's inexperience showing as he tried to shepherd the ball out of play with Davies on his shoulder. The Bolton forward simply hooked the across goal from the right for Tamir Cohen to head it back into the path of Wilshere, allowing the teenager to score with a high volley from close range. [LNB]In between, West Ham had not given Bolton too much to worry about. Jussi Jaaskelainen did not have a save to make until the 25th minute, when he did well to block a Diamanti free-kick and then tip away Guillermo Franco's follow-up. [LNB]Scott Parker put Carlton Cole in on goal, but Sam Ricketts stuck out of a foot to dispossess the England striker as he prepared to shoot. [LNB]Ricketts, playing as a stand-in central defender, almost made a timely intervention to block Parker after Cole had returned the favour, but most of the chances were falling to Bolton as Davies led from the front. [LNB]He cleverly fed Lee, who crossed for Wilshere only to see the youngster scuff his shot. Lee also mis-hit a volley when more poor defending from the home side gave him a clear sight of goal. [LNB]It could and should have been 3-0 by half-time as Davies sent in a perfect cross from the right, between Green and his defence, but when the ball arrived at Johan Elmander's feet, he scooped it horribly over the bar from ten yards. [LNB]West Ham's fans finally had something to cheer at half-time with the return of the Hammerettes. Their popular cheerleaders, who showed considerably more teamwork and co-ordination than their team. [LNB]Back on the pitch, there was more disruption for West Ham early in the second half when Faubert pulled up injured and was replaced by Kieron Dyer, whose first touch was a half-volley over the bar from close range. [LNB]Davies was working tirelessly for Bolton, shaking off three defenders to set up Elmander, whose shot hit the hand of Matthew Upson without penalty. [LNB]Bolton's task was made harder for the final 20 minutes when Tamir Cohen was sent off for his second booking in the space of five minutes, for tripping Parker. [LNB]But West Ham still could not make their advantage count until the 88th minute, when Diamanti curled a shot from the right-hand side of the penalty area into the far coner of goal. [LNB]That set up a tense finale, especially when five minutes of stoppage time was shown. Almost immediatelty Fabrice Muamba broke away and crossed fro Davies to hit the bar with his sliding effort. [LNB]Moments later Junior Stanislas did the same at the opposite end, thumping a half-volley against the Bolton bar from 20 yards - and that was it. [LNB]
