It was a cruel twist of fate for the home side who deserved to gain at least a point for their efforts having hit the Bolton crossbar and post on numerous occasions throughout the afternoon.

Bolton will be delighted to have shown no ill-effects of their recent UEFA Cup exploits and the fact that they kept a clean sheet will be a big boost to Sam Allardyce.

The game itself started well with City creating a number of chances in the first fifteen minutes with Antoine Sibierski and most notably Kiki Musampa being foiled by the Bolton goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen.

Kevin Davies had a chance to score for the Wanderers at the other end but his downwards header from a Henrik Pedersen cross was comfortably gathered by England custodian David James.

City, with the benefit of more rest since their last game, continued to probe and push a tired, yet compact Bolton side who gave a full debut to the impressive Senegalese international Abdoulaye Diagne-Faye

Loan star Faye gave good protection to the Wanderers back line in the defensive midfield role before withdrawing at half time through a reoccurance of a recent injury.

The home side themselves had been decimated through injury within the first half as experienced right winger Trevor Sinclair had to be stretchered off following a challenge with Bruno N'Gotty.

City's French star Sibierski, who was playing a supporting role behind the lone forward Darius Vassell, was the first to see his effort cannon back off the woodwork as he saw his header from Joey Barton's pinpoint cross come back off the crossbar after the half hour mark.

Jaaskelainen then saved well from yet another Sibierski header shortly before the interval as Bolton clung on to the game being on an equal footing at all square.

After the half time break Joey Barton was next to shave the paint on the Bolton woodwork as his shot came back off the left hand post of the visitors goalkeeper Jaaskelainen who kept his side in the match at times.

On 52 minutes the in-form Claudio Reyna was then denied the chance to fire City into the lead after Jaaskelainen had saved a close range effort from the American with his feet.

Fellow midfielder Musampa then became the third City player to hit the Wanderers woodwork when his left footed volley came back off the crossbar to spare Bolton from going a goal behind once more.

Bolton improved and gained more shape upon the introductions of Hidetoshi Nakata and Ricardo Gardner but were still being pegged back by a high-flying City side who had previously been unbeaten so far this term.

Kevin Davies fired well wide of David James goalmouth after being put in a good position by Henrik Pedersen. This chance was to be a perfect assessment of the off-day that the Wanderers where having in front of goal.

Youngster Stephen Ireland seemed a keen substitute for City when entering the field of play shortly before the end of the game but no matter how much he or the rest of his teammates tried they found that they could not find a way past the Bolton defence.

With just seven minutes remaining in the contest lively Bolton substitute Nakata fired over the bar on his Premiership debut after some excellent link up play involving the two Kevin's, Nolan and Davies.

Utility player Sun Jihai then hit the bar for City following an excellent curling shot which had seen Jaaskelainen beaten all ends up. No matter how much City pressed they could not blow the house down.

Just as the game looked to be heading for full-time all goalless a moment of madness from Irish defender Richard Dunne gifted Bolton their second victory in a week.

Pedersen steamed forward for Bolton and launched a ball into the City area which former Everton defender Dunne appeared to handle. Referee Mike Dean had no option but to award the penalty which Wanderers captain Gary Speed confidently despatched in the added time period of the second half.

It was perhaps cruel on City after they had dominated for large amounts of time but as Bolton know themselves from previous years sometimes the game can be won and lost in such a manner.

Bolton Wanderers: Jussi Jaaskelainen, Tal Ben-Haim, Radhi Jaidi, Bruno N'Gotty, Henrik Pedersen, Kevin Nolan, Abdoulaye Diagne-Faye (Ivan Campo), Gary Speed, Stelios Giannakopoulos (Ricardo Gardner), Kevin Davies, El-Hadji Diouf (Hidetoshi Nakata)

Subs Not Used: Ian Walker, Jared Borgetti

Manchester City: David James, Danny Mills, Sylvain Distin, Richard Dunne, Ben Thatcher, Kiki Musampa, Claudio Reyna, Joey Barton (Stephen Ireland), Trevor Sinclair (Sun Jihai), Antoine Sibierski, Darius Vassell

Subs Not Used: Robbie Fowler, Nedum Onuoha, Geert De Vlieger

Referee:

Mike Dean

Attendance:

43,137

Booked:

Kevin Davies (Bolton) Richard Dunne (Manchester City)

Bookmark or share this story with:

• Digg
• Delicious
• Facebook
• Reddit
• Stumbleupon

SPORTNETWORK SPECIALS