The home side themselves had to make changes for the game as striker Henrik Pedersen was deployed as an emergency left-wing back due to an injury to Jamaican international Ricardo Gardner.

Newcastle, who where without a goal so far this season, welcomed back Shola Ameobi for this game following a ban and he partnered the experienced Alan Shearer in the Toon Army forward line to ease Graeme Souness striker problems.

Indeed the visitors could so easily have taken the lead on five minutes when Celestine Babayaro's deep left wing cross was headed down by Shearer into the path of Lee Bowyer who in turn saw his shot on the turn cleared off the line by ex-United favourite Gary Speed.

Bolton captain Jay-Jay Okocha then saw a chance for an opening goal slip from his grasp as his excellent shot on the volley just dipped over the crossbar of United keeper Shay Given.

Wanderers then had to alter their defensive line once more as Tunisian Radhi Jaidi made way through injury to give Abdoulaye Diagne-Faye his first piece of action since his summer move from Lens. This change gave the Trotters back line an unfamiliar look but the Senegalese international performed amicably during his time on the field.

Stelios Giannakopoulos had earlier in the day been linked with a fresh approach from Liverpool, but this unsettlement did not show in his play as the diminulative Greek international got involved in a number of Bolton attacks.

Giannakopoulos crossed a dangerous ball into the Newcastle area on 25 minutes but neither El-Hadji Diouf nor Kevin Davies could get the final touch to take the ball past Ireland keeper Given.

Shortly before half time the Bolton pressure reaped it's rewards in fine style as an unmarked Diouf headed home a pin-point cross from England U21 international Nicky Hunt following a deft lay-off by the afforementioned Giannakopoulos.

Diouf then turned goal provider five minutes after the re-start when his left wing cross was tapped home by Giannakopoulos for the second goal following the merest of flick on's by Gary Speed in the area.

Newcastle then made a couple of changes in an attempt to shore up their midfield with both James Milner and veteran Lee Clark coming on for the slightly lacklustre Amdy Faye and Lee Bowyer.

Speed then had a chance to make it three goals to the good for Bolton against his old team but an inswinging corner from the right was hacked off the line by former Spurs defender Stephen Carr.

Shortly before full-time Alan Shearer struck a powerful long distance effort on target for the Magpies but this was excellently saved by Bolton's Jussi Jaaskelainen who had barely been tested throughtout the evening.

With just a few minutes remaining Bolton gave a debut to new Mexican signing Jared Borgetti, but it is far too early to take anything from the South American's cameo performance at such an early stage.

A good win for Bolton which gives them their first three points on the board for the new campaign, for Newcastle they will hope that Michael Owen or A.N other will come into the club as soon as possible to ease their attacking woes.

Bolton Wanderers: Jussi Jaaskelainen, Nicky Hunt, Tal Ben-Haim, Radhi Jaidi (Abdoulaye Diagne-Faye), Henrik Pedersen, Kevin Nolan, Gary Speed, Jay-Jay Okocha, Stelios Giannakopoulos, Kevin Davies (Ivan Campo), El-Hadji Diouf (Jared Borgetti)

Subs Not Used: Ian Walker, Ricardo Vaz-Te

Newcastle United: Shay Given, Stephen Carr, Steven Taylor, Jean-Alain Boumsong, Celestine Babayaro, Scott Parker, Jermaine Jenas, Amdy Faye (Lee Clark), Lee Bowyer (James Milner), Shola Ameobi, Alan Shearer

Subs Not Used: Robbie Elliott, Steve Harper, Charles N'Zogbia

Referee:

Rob Styles

Attendance: 25,904 Booked: Taylor (Newcastle)

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