Bolton captain Gudni Bergsson got the farewell present he wanted with
the club securing their top-flight status for a third successive year and
sending West Ham into the Nationwide League.
The 37-year-old defender is returning home to Iceland to pursue a career as a
lawyer.
He will probably find it a breeze in the courtroom after this nerve-shredding
afternoon at the Reebok Stadium.
Bolton forged ahead with marvellous goals from Per Frandsen and Jay-Jay
Okocha, only to lose their way.
Former striker Michael Ricketts pulled a goal back to set up an anxious finale
but, with relegation rivals West Ham drawing 2-2 at Birmingham, Sam Allardyce's
men held their nerve and their Player of the Year dinner tonight should be a
special occasion.
Middlesbrough found themselves on the back foot after three minutes when
Bernard Mendy picked up a loose ball and fired in a shot that was narrowly
off-target.
There was a scare for Bolton in the sixth minute when Jonathan Greening
delivered a deep cross from the left and Ricardo Gardner was forced to concede a
corner.
However the home side got the goal they craved by making the breakthrough
after 10 minutes.
Greening carelessly lost possession to Per Frandsen and the Danish midfielder
raced on before rifling an unstoppable shot from 20 yards beyond goalkeeper Mark
Schwarzer.
Henrik Pedersen then tried to thread the ball through to Okocha but Chris
Riggott read the situation well to clear.
Bolton added a second in the 21st minute thanks a wonderful free-kick from the
charismatic Okocha.
The Nigerian midfielder curled a delightful ball into the corner from 22 yards
out after Greening had brought down Gardner.
That prompted the Bolton supporters to raise the roof with chants of "We are
staying up!" ringing around the Reebok Stadium.
However Juninho almost pulled a goal back after 28 minutes when he floated in
a superb free-kick from the edge of the area.
Goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen appeared to be unsighted but got across at the
last moment to turn it around the post.
Despite having that two-goal cushion there was still an enormous amount of
tension around the ground as the first half drew to a close.
Okocha tried his luck from 30 yards in the 42nd minute, only to see his effort
go wide of the post.
Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren decided to draft in former Bolton striker
Ricketts at the start of the second half.
He came on for the ineffective Massimo Maccarone as the visitors attempted to
turn things around.
However Bolton soon picked up the pace and Gardner got free down the left,
only to slice his shot near the corner flag than the goal.
Okocha, wearing a T-shirt with the inscription "Thank you Jesus", had the
crowd on their feet after 49 minutes.
He raced forward and from 30 yards tried to chip Mark Schwarzer but his effort
just cleared the bar.
Ricketts got clear of his marker in the 53rd minute but steered a weak header
over the bar following a cross from Luke Wilkshire.
Ricketts, who earned an England cap during his time at Bolton, was roundly
jeered by the home supporters every time he touched the ball.
But he pulled Middlesbrough back into the match in the 61st minute with his
first goal for the club. He got on the end of a cross from Stuart Parnaby to hit
a first-time shot beyond Jaaskelainen.
Suddenly Bolton began to look shaky and nervous with the anxiety rippling down
from the stands to the pitch as news came through that West Ham had taken a 1-0
lead at St Andrews.
Manager Sam Allardyce responded to the news of that goal by immediately
bringing on Frenchman Pierre-Yves Andre for Pedersen in the 66th minute.
It was a worrying spell for the home side as Middlesbrough were beginning to
dominate the game.
The visitors, however, were reduced to 10 men in the 78th minute when Franck
Queudrue was dismissed by referee Rob Styles for lunging at Ivan Campo.
Middlesbrough goalkeeper Schwarzer then did well to parry a shot from Okocha
after a cross-field pass from Andre.
Okocha again tested the Australian in the 86th minute with a searing shot that
brought a marvellous reflex save.
There was a scare for Bolton on the stroke of full-time when Doriva whipped in
a fierce shot but Jaaskelainen turned it over the top to spark a night of
celebrations.
Teams:
Bolton: Jaaskelainen, N'Gotty, Bergsson, Whitlow, Gardner,
Mendy (Nolan 72), Frandsen, Campo, Okocha,
Djorkaeff (Charlton 89), Pedersen (Andre 66).
Subs Not Used: Poole, Salva.
Booked: Frandsen, Mendy, N'Gotty.
Goals: Frandsen 10, Okocha 21.
Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, Parnaby, Riggott, Southgate,
Queudrue, Greening (Ricketts 45), Boateng, Wilkshire,
Juninho Paulista, Maccarone (Doriva 45), Christie (Downing 45).
Subs Not Used: Crossley, Davies.
Sent Off: Queudrue (78).
Booked: Greening, Boateng.
Goals: Ricketts 61.
Att: 27,241
Ref: R Styles (Hampshire).
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