Jared Borgetti struck a second-half winner as Bolton overcame Barclays Premiership rivals West Ham to progress into the fourth round of the Carling Cup.

The Mexican striker was one of six players recalled to the side as manager Sam Allardyce continued his rotation policy amid a gruelling fixture schedule.

And he was on hand to head home Khalilou Fadiga's cross after 64 minutes to give Bolton a victory which Allardyce could have possibly done without.

With the rigours of a tough Premiership and UEFA Cup fixture list clearly in mind, the Bolton manager's team selection left no-one in any doubt about where the much-maligned competition lies in his list of priorities this season.

Both Allardyce and Alan Pardew made six changes to their starting line-ups from the sides which overcame West Brom and Middlesbrough respectively on Sunday.

Allardyce rested key players Bruno N'Gotty, Henrik Pedersen, Hidetoshi Nakata, El-Hadji Diouf, Kevin Davies and Jussi Jaaskelainen.

In their places came fringe players Borgetti, Fadiga, Ricardo Gardner, Fabrice Fernandes, Radhi Jaidi and Ian Walker.

Pardew adopted Allardyce's rotation policy by drafting in James Collins, Elliott Ward, David Bellion, Christian Dailly, Teddy Sheringham and Clive Clark.

They replaced Danny Gabbidon, Anton Ferdinand, Nigel Reo-Coker, Yossi Benayoun, Bobby Zamora and Matthew Etherington.

Bellion, making only his second appearance since arriving from Manchester United in August, was clearly keen to impress again as the Hammers wasted no time in imposing their high-tempo style on Bolton.

After eight minutes, the former France Under-21 international collected the ball on the right flank before cutting in and hitting a fierce left-foot shot from 20 yards.

His effort flew narrowly over but two minutes later the Hammers came closer to striking the opening blow.

Sheringham found himself in possession inside Bolton's box and wasted no time in firing in a goalbound shot, but Tal Ben Haim's timely intervention deflected his effort over for a corner.

Bellion tried his luck from distance again barely 90 seconds later, this time after cutting in from the right flank, but his shot was comfortably saved by Walker.

On 22 minutes Walker was forced into a smart save to block Paul Konchesky's fierce left-foot effort after a clever short-corner routine.

Bellion caught the eye again on 28 minutes, carrying the ball from the edge of his own 18-yard box and racing into the Bolton half before slipping a seemingly perfect pass to Konchesky.

The Hammers star finished with aplomb with a clinical left-foot strike past Walker but the offside flag had been raised and the goal was rightly disallowed.

Bolton, who claimed a Barclays Premiership victory against the Hammers at Upton Park in August, offered their customary threat from set-pieces.

But while Borgetti's goalscoring feats in his native Mexico have elevated him to iconic status in his homeland, he saw precious little sight of goal during the opening period.

West Ham defended stoutly and another enterprising attack shortly before the interval forced Jaidi and Abdoulaye Faye to make a combined block from Marlon Harewood's shot.

Martin Djetou replaced Faye at the break for his appearance for the club following his arrival as a free agent last month.

Djetou took Faye's position just in front of the back four and Bolton began to improve, but West Ham continued to impress with their high-tempo attacking game.

However, after failing to breach the Bolton rearguard, the visitors fell behind after 64 minutes.

Fadiga, who had forced Shaka Hislop into a fine save with a thunderous 20-yard drive less than 60 seconds earlier, engineered the goal for Borgetti.

The giant midfielder delivered an outstanding cross from the left flank and the Mexican arrived in perfect time to nod the ball past Hislop at the far post from barely two yards out.

With time rung out, Pardew made one last throw of the dice soon after when he replaced Sheringham and Harewood with Shaun Newton and Jeremie Aliadiere in a double substitution.

But the move failed to pay off and Borgetti should have made it two in injury-time when he found himself clean through but Hislop produced a fine save.

Teams

Bolton Walker, O'Brien, Ben Haim, Jaidi, Gardner, Faye (Djetou 45), Fernandes (N'Gotty 79), Nolan, Fadiga, Borgetti, Giannakopoulos (Pedersen 59).

Subs Not Used: Jaaskelainen, Nakata.

Booked: Faye, Ben Haim.

Goals: Borgetti 64.

West Ham Hislop, Repka, Collins, Ward, Konchesky, Bellion, Dailly, Mullins, Clarke (Newton 72), Sheringham (Aliadiere 73), Harewood (Fletcher 86).

Subs Not Used: Bywater, Williams.

Booked: Dailly.

Att: 10,927

Ref: A Marriner (W Midlands).