Ten-man Trotters haunt Hammers again

Jack Wilshere
12 April 2012

Bolton secured a vital 2-1 away victory against relegation rivals West Ham with two goals inside the opening 16 minutes from Kevin Davies and Jack Wilshere.

Davies was magnificent throughout and his powerful header gave Bolton the lead before he turned provider, robbing James Tomkins of the ball to tee up 18-year-old Wilshere.

West Ham mounted a spirited comeback after Bolton had Tamir Cohen sent off for two bookable offences in the second half and Alessandro Diamanti curled in a late consolation.

Both sides hit the bar in a frantic finale, through Davies and Junior Stanislas, but Bolton held on for a sixth straight victory over West Ham - and their third this season - which takes them above the Hammers in the table.

All the pre-match statistics had pointed to a home win. Bolton had not won on their travels in six months or scored away from the Reebok Stadium in over seven hours of football.

West Ham had not conceded a goal at home in four league matches and boasted England's Matthew Upson and Robert Green at the back.

But Bolton are West Ham's bogey team and turned those records upside down inside 16 minutes, helped by some calamitous defending.

West Ham could not handle Davies' physical presence and he put Bolton ahead with a powerful header after rising above Julien Faubert to meet Lee Chung-Yong's cross.

Tomkins gifted Bolton their second just six minutes later. Davies robbed him as he tried to shepherd the ball out before the frontman clipped a cross into the box for Wilshere to finish acrobatically from close range.

Bolton were reduced to 10 men just after the hour mark after Cohen collected two bookings inside nine minutes and despite Diamanti's lovely effort they held on.

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