Bolton got their bid for an automatic promotion spot back on track with a
deserved victory over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.
Second half goals by Dean Holdsworth and substitute Gareth Farrelly brought
reward for Bolton's increasing domination of the game against a Forest side who
failed to live up to their hopes of a play-off spot.
Bolton were the better side in a poor first half but then confirmed their
supremacy with goals in the last half hour.
The first arrived in the 62nd minute - courtesy of Holdsworth's 200th career
goal.
Ricardo Gardner created all the danger with a mesmerising run that brought
confusion to the Forest defence and he set Holdsworth up with one of his easier
goals.
Forest tried to rally but their attacks lacked conviction and in time
added-on, Farrelly put the seal on an excellent afternoon for Sam Allardyce's
side.
With Forest throwing everything into attack, Colin Hendry broke things up and
set off on a charge deep into Forest territory before feeding Farrelly, who
dinked the ball over advancing Forest keeper Dave Beasant.
It was Bolton's first win in seven games and they only had themselves to blame
for not going ahead in the first half when they created the better chances.
On-loan striker Andy Campbell missed an early chance after Gardner's cross had
eluded Forest skipper Chris Bart-Williams.
And after Beasant had raced off his line to hack the ball clear from
Holdsworth, Bolton were denied by the Forest keeper on the stroke of half-time.
Following Holdsworth's cross from the left, Kevin Nolan looked a certain
scorer until Beasant threw himself into the path of his shot to bring off an
important save.
Bolton gradually built up the momentum that led to their second half goals and
they could easily have taken an earlier lead had Holdsworth not spurned a 59th
minute chance created by their best move of the match.
Substitute Nicky Summerbee and Campbell built an attack from one end of the
field to the other but from Summerbee's final cross, Holdsworth just failed to
turn the ball in at the far post.
Teams
Nottm Forest: Beasant, Scimeca, Edwards, Vaughan, Benali, Gray,
Prutton (Freeman 66), Bart-Williams, Reid, John, David Johnson,
Freeman (Jones 74).
Subs not used: Roche, Hjelde, Williams.
Booked: Benali, Edwards.
Bolton: Wright, Bergsson, Warhurst, Elliott, Hendry, Gardner,
Nolan (Summerbee 58), Charlton, Richardson,
Holdsworth (Farrelly 88), Campbell (Ricketts 81).
Subs not used: Banks, Marshall.
Goals: Holdsworth 61, Farrelly 90.
Att: 22,162
Ref: T Parkes (Birmingham).
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