Bolton Wanderers 1-2 Everton
Bergsson 90
Watson 33,39
Jaaskelainen, Mendy, Ngotty, Barness, Charlton, Campo, Frandsen, Gardner, Djorkaeff, Pedersen, Ricketts
Wright, PIstone, Stubbs, Weir, Unsworth, Watson, Tie, Gemmill, Naysmoth, Radzinski, McBride
Whitlow, Nolan (Pedersen HT), Facey(N'Gotty 67), Barness (frandsen 84), Poole
Yobo (Stubbs 78), Pembridge (Naysmith 84), Campbell, Gravesen, Gerrard
Yellow : Mendy 17, Gardner 90
Yellow : Watson 68
Youri Djorkaeff's Goal
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Deserved nothing and got exactly that...

It was an inauspicious start on a cold night at the Reebok, with 'want away' striker Ricketts getting a fairly harsh reception when his name was announced. The formation had changed in that Campo had moved forward into midfield and N'Gotty had come into the centre of defense, with Mendy on the flank - all changes prompted by the good second half performance at St James's Park.

And none of them really worked. Bolton were awful. Everton ran the game after an initial five minute spurt when Ricketts headed wide and Campo couldn't get a toe to a cross. For the next (roughly) 85 minutes Bolton threatened rarely and defended in a panic.

Everton deservedly went ahead on the half hour, although the goal was a monumental fluke. Mc Bride headed the ball across the edge of the area and Watson ran out to collect it. With Charlton close behind, Watson hoofed the ball over his head back into the danger area. However his loft turned out to be a perfect shot, going over the stranded Jaaskelainen and just under the bar.

If the first goal wasn't really deserved, the second was a gift. A long ball forward bounced into the area and Jaaskelainen dithreed, first coming otu for it then retreating. McBride pounced but Jussi was able to palm his shot away. Straight to Watson who stuck it in for his second goal in six minutes.

The rest of the game was dire. Neither side had any fluency, referee Styles was doing as much as he could to disrupt what flow of the game that remained and Bolton seemed to lack any basic skill and organisation. The only consolation was Bergsson poking the ball in during a goalmouth scramble in injury time, a goal which meant nothing and Bolton hadn't done much to earn. Woeful.