Striker Marcus Bent scored the all important goal early in the first half after combining well with fellow striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink but Wanderers will feel disappointed that their second half pressure came to nothing.

Both managers made numerous changes to their starting line ups as Ian Walker, Andranik Teimourian, Ricardo Vaz-Te, Stelios Giannakopoulos, Idan Tal and Henrik Pedersen came into the Bolton first eleven.

Vaz-Te nearly opened the scoring for the visitors on twelve minutes following a throw in but the Portuguese youngster could not get his effort on target to trouble Charlton's experienced keeper Thomas Myhre.

At the other end a Bryan Hughes corner caused problems for Bolton as it made it's way through to Hermann Hreidarsson but fortunately the defender headed wide of Ian Walker's goal.

This was a warning of what was to come as the much travelled Marcus Bent headed the Londoners into a 17th minute lead following an excellent cross by Dutch veteran Hasselbaink.

On the half hour mark Hasselbaink himself nearly got in on the scoring act with a trademark free kick which Wanderers keeper Walker managed to make himself equal to.

Hughes and Hreidarsson combined again from a set piece to try and inflict further misery on Bolton but Walker once again stayed alert to the danger which the Addicks posed.

Charlton winger Jerome Thomas was then stretchered off the field with a suspected hip injury after colliding with his Bolton counterpart Stelios Giannakopoulos and former Newcastle midfielder Darren Ambrose was brought into the play shortly before the break.

Wanderers came out for the second half much more focused and could have gotten themselves back on level terms in the 57th minute as Kevin Davies overpowered Jon Fortune to get a shot in on goal.

The introduction of American teenager Johann Smith on the left flank gave Bolton a new dimension but there was still a lack of steel in the heart of midfield due to Sam Allardyce's decision to drop Ivan Campo for Andranik.

Davies and Ben-Haim both had headed chances which failed to trouble Myhre whilst Vaz-Te rasped in a thunderous shot from just outside the box which just went wide of goal..

Vaz-Te then turned provider for substitute Smith but the speedy striker was unable to keep his header on target with just over ten minutes of the game still to play.

In the final moments of the game defender Abdoulaye Meite stayed upfield and nearly brought Bolton back into the tie as he flung himself at a Stelios Giannakopoulos corner and Ivan Campo did likewise in injury time but no goal came to fruition.

Bolton Wanderers: Ian Walker, Nicky Hunt, Abdoulaye Meite, Tal Ben-Haim, Henrik Pedersen (Jarostaw Fojut), Gary Speed (Ivan Campo), Andranik Teimourian (Johann Smith), Idan Tal, Stelios Giannakopoulos, Kevin Davies, Ricardo Vaz-Te

Subs Not Used: Scott Jamieson, Ali Al-Habsi

Charlton Athletic: Thomas Myhre, Luke Young, Talal El-Karkouri (Osei Sankofa), Jonathan Fortune, Hermann Hreidarsson, Bryan Hughes, Matt Holland, Radostin Kishishev (Dennis Rommedahl), Jerome Thomas (Darren Ambrose), Marcus Bent, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink

Subs Not Used: Alistair John, Stephan Andersen

Referee:

Dermot Gallagher

Attendance:

10,788

Booked:

Tal Ben-Haim (Bolton)

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