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Match Report
Bolton v Portsmouth 24 September 2005
Nolan stunner sinks Pompey
Bolton 1- 0 Portsmouth
A wonder goal from Kevin Nolan was enough to give Bolton a 1-0 victory over Portsmouth at the Reebok Stadium.
Nolan's sublime overhead kick was good enough to win any game, even if it had the whiff of offside about it, and it proved the decider for the hosts in an energetic match.
A pacey first half had been lit up by a wonderful goal from Nolan - but it was Portsmouth who had started the brighter.
Dario Silva had flashed a header over the top after getting across marker Bruno N'Gotty, and the Uruguayan almost played in Matthew Taylor, only for Nicky Hunt to block superbly.
The goal, good as it was will be blighted, by controversy with both Davies and Nolan looking to be a smidgeon offside from the original ball in from the Henrik Pedersen.
But no flag was raised as Davies deftly nodded the ball back across the box, and Nolan acrobatically flung himself into an overhead kick that flashed past Jamie Ashdown and rippled the net.
The goal inspired Bolton, with Davies a constant thorn in the side of the Pompey defence.
The former Blackburn man was unlucky with a clever flick round the corner that drifted just wide after a fine Nakata cross, and his aerial presence was taking the full attention of Andy O'Brien.
Matt Taylor had a snap shot, but it was comfortably held by Jussi Jaaskelainen as Bolton took their lead into the break.
For those expecting the match to ignite, the second half started disappointingly, with both sides failing to get the ball down and play, but the pace did pick up.
Brian Priske saw a low cross evade everyone for Pompey, whilst Nakata had a goalbound shot deflected wide.
Dejan Stefanovic had to be alert to steal the ball from Davies after a pinpoint Nakata through ball, whilst young substitute Joey O'Brien can consider himself lucky that a pull on Azar Karadas in the Bolton area went unpunished.
Nolan should have doubled his, and Bolton's, tally after splitting the Pompey defence, but he missed the target as he went though one-on-one to the disappointment of the Reebok Stadium faithful.
Portsmouth boss Alain Perrin is under a degree of pressure after a poor start to the season, but his players were far from overwhelmed on their travels.
Nakata continued to be the most effective stacking force for Bolton, probing and testing the defence and looking far more accomplished than he had any right to on his first start for Wanderers.
Richard Hughes tested Jaaskelainen with a curler as Portsmouth pushed for a leveller, and Bolton's joy was tempered when Nicky Hunt was forced to limp off after conceding a free-kick that Laurent Robert thumped into the wall.
Despite the anxious finish, in which Perrin was dismissed for a Rooney-esque sarcastic applause of a picky decision from referee Mark Clattenburg, Bolton held on, and both sides deserve credit for an entertaining encounter - enlivened in dramatic style - by one of the goals of the season.
| Bolton | Team Name | Portsmouth | | 1 | Goals | 0 | | 2 | Shots on target ( Inc Goals ) | 2 | | 9 | Shots off Target (inc woodwork) | 3 | | 0 | Blocked Shots | 1 | | 7 | Corners Won | 3 | | 12 | Total Fouls Conceded | 6 | | 4 | Offsides | 2 | | 2 | Yellow Cards | 2 | | 0 | Red Cards | 0 | | 58% | Possession | 42% |
Report From 
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