Davies was the star of the show for the Wanderers throughout and his two goals and overall performance where thoroughly deserved against a Hammers team who where found wanting on more than one occasion in the game.

The scoreline could have so easily been doubled as Bolton had a number of chances in the second half to add to those that had already been converted earlier in the day.

West Ham packed out the midfield and looked like a team short on confidence from the offset. Striker Marlon Harewood had little support in the whole of the ninety minutes as the Bolton defence dealt comfortably with anything that was thrown at them.

Neither side was able to make their mark on the game early doors as Wanderers striker Nicolas Anelka failed to trouble West Ham keeper Robert Green with two long distance attempts.

Anelka was involved heavily in the opening goal on 17 minutes though and it was a fine team move that would not have looked out of place at the Bernabeu or Nou Camp.

The Frenchman hoisted the ball into the Hammers penalty area and veteran Gary Speed making his 500th Premiership appearance headed the ball back across the face of goal where El-Hadji Diouf was there to tee up fellow striker Kevin Davies.

Ten minutes later the hosts could have so easily been two goals to the good but for some last gasp goalkeeping by Green. Anelka's shot found it's way through to Nolan and the Wanderers skipper was thwarted at the last moment from just a few yards out.

In truth the first half was disjointed at times but Bolton where happy to go in as deserved leaders at the interval. West Ham on the other hand offered little in the way of effort and the travelling support made their feelings known as the two sides left the field.

Five minutes after half time the Wanderers finally doubled their lead when Davies stole in to steer Campo's header past Green following a dangerous left sided corner from Gary Speed.

Less than a minute later the dreadfully quiet Marlon Harewood could have restored some pride at the other end of the field but he scuffed his shot wide of Jussi Jaaskelainen's right post.

Alan Pardew introduced old stager Teddy Sheringham in place of Carlos Tevez but the former Manchester United man found little change out of either Abdoulaye Faye or Abdoulaye Meite.

The question asked at the mid-point of the second half was how many Bolton would eventually go on to win by and it came as no surprise when the lively Diouf cut inside from the left, took away two West Ham defenders to neatly put the ball past Green for the games third goal on 77 minutes.

A minute later Anelka completed the scoring with his third league goal in Bolton colours when finishing from close range following a defence splitting pass from Speed

Nolan and Campo could have made it five and six but the first of the two efforts was placed wide and the second effort by Spaniard Campo came back off the foot of the post

A deserved win for Bolton which is a perfect tonic after a couple of indifferent results. Two games on the road against Aston Villa and local rivals Manchester City now await prior to the post-Christmas mayhem.

Another bright point to the evening for the Wanderers was the long awaited return to action of Ricardo Gardner for the final few minutes after a six month spell on the sidelines

Bolton Wanderers: Jussi Jaaskelainen, Nicky Hunt, Abdoulaye Faye, Abdoulaye Meite, Henrik Pedersen, Kevin Nolan, Ivan Campo, Gary Speed (Ricardo Gardner), Kevin Davies (Ricardo Vaz-Te), Nicolas Anelka, El-Hadji Diouf

Subs Not Used: Stelios Giannakopoulos, Ali Al-Habsi (GK)

West Ham United: Robert Green, Jonathan Spector (John Paintsil), James Collins, George McCartney, Paul Konchesky, Hayden Mullins, Nigel Reo-Coker, Christian Daillt, Matthew Etherington, Marlon Harewood, Carlos Tevez (Teddy Sheringham)

Subs Not Used: Bobby Zamora, Yossi Benayoun, Roy Carroll (GK)

Referee:

Howard Webb

Attendance:

22,283

Booked:

El-Hadji Diouf (Bolton)

Ivan Campo (Bolton)

Nigel Reo-Coker (West Ham)

Matthew Etherington (West Ham)

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