Bolton Wanderers 0 - 1 Portsmouth

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Saturday Feb 09 2008 03:00

Lassana Diarra scored his first Premier League goal since his recent move to Fratton Park as Portsmouth edged out Bolton Wanderers.

However, the France international's 81st minute strike would only have brought one point but for a fantastic late save by David James.

Bolton complained bitterly that the ex-Chelsea and Arsenal midfielder's goal was offside and perhaps with good justification.

Substitute Kanu had the final touch after the ball deflected to him from Portsmouth old boy Andy O'Brien and Diarra finished beyond Jussi Jaaskelainen.

Wanderers knew their luck was definitely out when James flung himself to deflect a stoppage-time effort from substitute Tamir Cohen over the bar.

The England man was in inspired form, justifying Fabio Capello's decision to bring him back from the international wilderness.

He denied Bolton man-of-the-match Kevin Davies, plus Gretar Steinsson and Grzegorz Rasiak while Hermann Hreidarsson cleared off the line from Gary Cahill.

Portsmouth had rarely threatened before Diarra's winner, though the same player tested Jaaskelainen from distance and Kevin Nolan did well to block a goal bound Papa Bouba Diop effort.

However, for all James' brilliance he should have been picking the ball out of the net in the opening period.

Matty Taylor, who missed a penalty at Reading the previous week, should have opened his Bolton account.

Only Taylor will know how he didn't have Wanderers in front by the break.

The former Pompey midfielder already managed a couple of sighters before his miss of the season contender.

Indeed, he didn't really require any rehearsals as initially El Hadji Diouf and then Davies served up the easiest of chances.

But three yards out from an empty net, he contrived to blaze the ball over the crossbar and high into the stands.

Bolton certainly deserved a goal for their first half display as, even in the shock 1-0 home win against Manchester United, they hadn't played with the same fluency or skill level.

Portsmouth didn't manage a shot at Jaaskelainen in the opening half.

And they also lost Noe Pamarot with a knee injury following Danny Guthrie's robust but legal challenge.

Bolton fans wondered whether their side had missed the boat, especially when Taylor fluffed another inviting opening in the second period, and so it proved as Diarra punished Bolton's profligacy.

Live Commentary

  • 94
    FT:Bolton 0-1 Portsmouth: Bolton have all the play but Pompey steal the points after Diarra finishes from close range late on. Bolton will rue their missed chances.
  • 92
    James makes yet another trumendous save from Cahill's strike to tip it just over the bar. Pompey owe it all to James today.
  • 89
    Bolton have four minutes of stoppage time to rescue a point here.
  • 86
    Guthrie is replaced by Tamir Cohen as Megson tries to find the goal to save a point.
  • 86
    Portsmouth looking to kill the pace of the game now - Bolton looking to launch the ball forward as quickly as possible but the quality is not there anymore
  • 83
    Bolton return after the goal with more pressure but Portsmouth scramble the ball out for a corner - The ball is kept in the Portsmouth half from the corner.
  • 81
    Matty Taylor is replaced by Stellios here as Gary Megson hopes to salvage a point after that devastating blow of conceding having dominated all game.
  • 80
    Diarra latches onto a weak clearance to sweep the ball home for the visitors here. Bolton 0 - 1 Portsmouth.
  • 77
    Diarra drives a shot goalbound from the resulting corner but it is blocked again.
  • 77
    Utaka making an instant impact creating a chance for Defoe but Nolan makes a great block to send the ball over the bar - Portsmouth look like the may be able to pinch this with a break away goal.
  • 75
    Bolton still pressing here, they continue their period of pressure but just cannot find the back of the net.
  • 72
    Utake comes on to replace Kranjcar here. Can he create something going forward here for Portsmouth?
  • 72
    David James makes another superb save after Icelandic Steinsson shot after a Bolton corner. James having another incredible game here proving his worth as England number 1.
  • 71
    Jaaskelainen makes a very good save to deny Defoe another goal for his new side after Portsmouth broke with real promise there - A vital stop.
  • 70
    Hreidarsson clears off the line after a long throw by Campo is turned back in by Taylor and flicked goalbound by Cahill. The last line of defense rescues Pompey yet again!
  • 69
    That save seems to have sparked a voice from the visiting crowd, can this drive on Portsmouth to look for the winner here?
  • 68
    Debutant Rasiak forces a superman style save from his left footed volley that was rifling into the net - Portsmouth relying on their keeper there.
  • 67
    Portsmouth look more than content to take a point away from the Reebok here and Bolton will need to put a good move together to break the visitors' defense down.
  • 64
    Returning Kanu links up with Defoe well in the final third and they look dangerous here. Bolton do well to close out the Portsmouth attack.
  • 63
    Rasiak has got on the ball quite a lot since coming on but his touches on to running players have not produced a chance.
  • 60
    Gregor Rasiak comes on for his debut to replace the dangerous looking Diouf. It will be interesting to see how the tall striker performs in the Premier League.
  • 59
    Diarra dispossessed in the midfield after spending too long on the ball, Bolton tried to break but the attack lost pace and the opportunity passes.
  • 56
    Richard Hughes cautioned for a cynical foul on Davies as Bolton pressed forward with pace.
  • 54
    The match has showed much more promise since the break, a goal cannot be too far away now as the game opens up at both ends of the park.
  • 50
    End to end stuff here, Pompey breaking against Bolton here and Defoe and Kanu link up quite well but the support is not there early enough and the attack breaks down.
  • 49
    Another good Bolton move but Taylor's shot at the end of it goes wide again - He can't buy a goal today.
  • 49
    Davies has been instrumental in creating the Bolton chances so far today, he seems to have taken a back seat to scoring and focusing on playing in his team mates for a change.
  • 47
    Bolton starting the second half where they left off, Davies doing brilliantly to play in Taylor who should have done better again but skewed his shot wide.
  • 45
    Redknapp makes just the one change to his side at the break - Kanu replaces Baros so this will add another dimension to the Portsmouth front line.
  • 45
    We are underway again here after the break and hopefully we will see a rejuvenated Pompey aa both sides look break the stalemate.
  • 45
    HT:Bolton 0-0 Portsmouth: Bolton having the better of it and Taylor will rue his unbelievable miss from six yards after 33 minutes. Portsmouth need to improve.
  • 44
    Bolton ending the half on a high with holding siege to David James area but there is no end product and it remains goalless.
  • 43
    Another good ball in from Diouf as he rips down the right wing but Campbell does very well to clear for Pompey.
  • 41
    WIld challenge from Kevin Davies on Lucien Aubey sees him very lucky to avoid a caution.
  • 37
    Portsmouth cannot seem to get into the game, Bolton are breaking up everything they attempt in the middle of the park. Defoe and Baros have barely had a touch.
  • 34
    Another Bolton chance, Diuof works the ball well around the edge of the area, Taylor lays Nolan in and his shot from the edge of the box is hit fractionally wide.
  • 33
    Fantastic Bolton move ends with Diouf playing a great pass across the box for Taylor but he blazes the chance over the bar from close range - Should have scored.
  • 33
    Danny Guthrie is booked for lashing out at Diarra, the incident is calmed down quickly by Referee Walton.
  • 30
    Matty Taylor hits a good shot from the edge of the area but it flashes just wide of ex team mate David James' post.
  • 29
    Noe Pamarot is forced off injured and former French Under 21 Aubey comes on as a like for like change.
  • 28
    David James slices a clearance under pressure from a slightly sloppy back pass, the resulting corner however is wasted.
  • 24
    The gameplay was delayed after Campo went down injured - After he had recieved treatment, we get the game underway again.
  • 20
    Portsmouth playing the ball around in the Bolton half, though their is a lack of penetration about their play. Campo wins the ball back and begins a Bolton break.
  • 16
    Diouf crosses from wide on the right but Davies heads the bending cross straight at David James. Who incidently has not missed a minute of Portsmouth's season so far.
  • 15
    Both sides have been a little wasteful in possession in the final third so far and neither have been able to find the final ball to create a chance.
  • 12
    Bolton definitely having the better of it moving it around well and creating space. However as of yet, Portsmouth have held them at arms length at the back.
  • 9
    Portsmouth give away a free kick but Taylor squanders it high and wide.
  • 7
    Matthew Taylor has been on the ball a lot in the opening seven minutes as Bolton start to take control of the game.
  • 4
    Bolton win an early corner - It is worked well and ends with a good chance for Davies as it fell nicely for him in the area, but his effort is straigh at David James.
  • 3
    In the early moments Portsmouth have held the best of possession spraying it around comfortably.
  • 0
    Referee Peter Walton gets this one underway.
  • 0
    Portsmouth: James, Lauren, Campbell, Hreidarsson, Pamarot, Hughes, Diarra, Diop, Kranjcar, Baros, Defoe
  • 0
    Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Andrew O'Brien, Cahill, Gardner, Nolan, Campo, Guthrie, Diouf, Davies, Taylor
  • 0
    Returning Utaka and Kanu can only make the bench for Pompey after Nigeria were knocked out of the African Cup of Nations and Defoe will look to impress his new boss again.
  • 0
    Matt Taylor starts for Bolton after leaving Fratton Park in the January window, he will look to cause his old side some problems today,
  • 0
    Welcome to the Reebok where Bolton play hosts to in form Portsmouth today. Portsmouth have been impressive away from home this season but Bolton have just started to hit form as of late and will look to earn another three points.

Statistics

Bolton Wanderers
Shots on target 10
Shots off target 9
Shots off bar/post 0
Fouls 12
Offsides 2
Corners 5

Portsmouth
Shots on target 4
Shots off target 3
Shots off bar/post 0
Fouls 14
Offsides 0
Corners 2

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