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  • Kick-off: 15:00
  • Venue: Reebok Stadium
  • Attendance: 19111
  • Referee: Foy, C

Live Commentary

90 mins

The final whistle goes, and Bolton secure all 3 points with 3 goals against a very poor City side, though Megson does deserve credit for applying his tatics well to the game.

90 mins

Anelka scores! The Frenchman runs through on goal, one-on-one, and he hits a great finish to seal the game.

89 mins

City have given up the ghost on this game as the game seems to have become very predictable now.

88 mins

Damien Johnson is booked for a bad foul on Ricardo Gardner.

85 mins

Alex McLeish wont be happy with his sides performance today, from the very first minute, Bolton have been on top, and most observers would say that they deserve the win.

82 mins

This will be a huge win for Bolton if they hold on, 3 points against relegation rivals City could be a massive boost come the end of the season.

80 mins

Kapo rounds Jussi Jaaskelainen but his shot is blocked by Meite on the line, and then cleared by Hunt.

79 mins

Jlloyd Samuel replaces Kevin Davies.

78 mins

Anelka scores! On his 50th appearance for Bolton, Anelka scores his 100th goal in English football with a great clinical strike from 12 yards.

75 mins

Bolton have taken control of this game now, and City are once again on the back foot with not much hope of getting anything from this game.

74 mins

Garry O'Connor replaces Gary McSheffrey.

72 mins

Diouf scores! Anelka supplied the pass to Diouf, who took a good first touch, and then with his second, fired home a great shot to give Bolton the lead.

68 mins

Ricardo Gardner is cautioned for foul play.

65 mins

Bolton put the ball into the back of the net, but the flag is up! Bolton put in a free-kick, and McCann is flagged offside as he flicked on to Nolan.

64 mins

Radhi Jaidi is booked for fouling El Hadji Diouf.

60 mins

An hour gone and at 0-0, both sides are still very much involved in the game, however you would have to say that City would be happier with the draw than Bolton would.

58 mins

Gavin McCann replaces Ivan Campo.

56 mins

Good build-up play from City, however Larsson wastes the move as he blasts the ball high over the bar.

53 mins

Cameron Jerome is flagged offside, he protests, but as the rules state, there was clear daylight between him and the defence.

50 mins

Sebastian Larsson has the chance to do something special from a City free-kick, but he wastes the chance and it goes harmlessly over the bar.

48 mins

Jussi Jaaskelainen makes a great save, McSheffery whipped in a free-kick, the ball deflected off Campo, and a great reaction save from the Bolton keeper keeps the scores level.

45 mins

Olivier Kapo replaces Mathew Sadler as a half-time substitute.

45 mins

The second half gets underway, and Bolton will be looking to continue their dominance from the first half while City will be hoping for a much improved performance.

45 mins

The whistle goes and it is indeed all square at the break. Bolton have certainly been on top for the half, but having failed to score, City will be much the happier of the sides.

43 mins

Campo fires over the bar, a shot which is greeted by heavy moans from the home fans, and it looks like it could well be all level going into the break.

41 mins

City will be encouraged if it stays like this by the break, having weathered the Bolton storm, Birmingham will feel that second half they can improve and take the lead.

39 mins

Davies puts in a good cross into the box, and Radhi Jaidi mis-kicks the ball which ends up hitting a team-mate and going off for a corner.

37 mins

Nicky Hunt is cautioned for a late challenge on Gary McSheffrey.

34 mins

Gardner defends well and ends up putting the ball out for a corner from a dangerous Sebastian Larsson cross.

32 mins

After a bright start, Bolton are still on top, but they are however, failing to produce real danger efforts in front of goal.

29 mins

Almost 30 minutes on the clock and with Bolton still on top, the Trotters will be thinking that they'll need a goal to show for all their dominace.

26 mins

A good effort from Kevin Nolan, it was on the turn, but the shot ends up hitting the side-netting.

23 mins

Megson deserves some credit as his tatics appear to be working at the moment with Birmingham failing to provide any danger in front of goal.

20 mins

20 minutes played and its been all Bolton so far, as Birmingham fail to provide any aerial threat, and with Jussi Jaaskelainen hardly even touching the ball.

16 mins

Anelka is making his 50th Bolton appearance today, not only that, he's also on 99 goals scored in English football, can the Frenchman celebrate his 50th game with his 100th goal?

12 mins

Jerome has a shot on goal, and it's deflected by O'Brien, it looks like its going in but it goes just wide, hearts in mouth time for Bolton fans there.

11 mins

After a bright start, the game has slowed in tempo, and City will be looking to gain the upper hand for the first time in this game

8 mins

It's been all Bolton so far, with the home side already having 2 great chances, and thankfully for City, Maik Taylor is on fine form at the moment.

5 mins

Taylor makes another great save, Anelka hits a snap shot in the City box, and Taylor does well to stop it, and what a start from Bolton.

4 mins

Bolton have started the brighter as already, the Wanderers have exposed space in the heart of the City defence.

1 mins

Maik Taylor does well to push Campo's free-kick past the post, the resulting corner comes to nothing as a foul is given in the box.

0 mins

Referee Chris Foy gets the game underway, and with both sides so close to the relegation zone, Bolton and City will be looking for nothing but all 3 points.

0 mins

Johan Djourou starts and Nafti returns to the bench, however, Liam Ridgwell is suspended as City begin with: Maik Taylor, Kelly, Jaidi, Schmitz, Sadler, Larsson, Johnson, Djourou, Muamba, McSheffrey, Jerome

0 mins

Andy O'Brien and Kevin Nolan both play after overcomming a bout of food poisoning and a foot injury respectively as Bolton start with: Jaaskelainen, Hunt, Meite, Andrew O'Brien, Gardner, Nolan, Campo, Guthrie, Davies, Anelka, Diouf

Match Report

Bolton Wanderers will be looking to get their bid to move clear of the drop zone back on track when Birmingham City are the visitors to the Reebok Stadium.

Last time out the Trotters were beaten 4-2 at Manchester City, although that was the first defeat in eight games in all competitions.

Gary Megson has brought a new-found steel to the side since his arrival in late October and the prospects for the rest of season have started to improve.

However, he was scathing about his side's display at Eastlands, saying: "Not many teams will go to City and score twice, yet we came away having got beat 4-2.

"To go away and score two goals and come away with nothing is not acceptable. We have issues at the back that are killing us but we can't do anything before January."

Megson should be able to call on key defender Andy O'Brien after illness ruled him out of the defeat by the Citizens, while only Heidar Helguson (ankle) is a major injury absentee.

Birmingham arrive in Lancashire just one point and one place better off than their hosts.

New Blues boss Alex McLeish has overseen a win, a loss and a draw in his three games in charge, with City being held to a 1-1 scoreline at home to Reading last time out.

The former Scotland boss is pleased with the efforts of his new charges to date, saying: "That's four points out of three games and before we came we'd lost six out of seven, so that's an improvement.

"We feel that the lads can continue to improve. There's a platform there for us to build on and get better."

McLeish has few injury worries, although on-loan defender Johan Djourou is struggling with a pelvic injury, meaning the loss of Liam Ridgewell to suspension could leave a major hole in central defence.

Earlier this season City edged a 1-0 victory on home soil against Bolton, with Olivier Kapo netting the decisive goal eight minutes before half-time.

Bolton Wanderers

Birmingham City

Corners

7 2

Fouls

14 18

Goal attempts

10 4

Shots off target

4 3

Offsides

6 3

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