The neutral observer would argue that Pompey deserved something out of the game due to the amount of chances that they had created but Bolton defended strongly right until the death to claim their first away league win in nearly ten months of trying.

High flying Pompey looked strong in the opening twenty minutes of the game and forced Wanderers keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen into making a couple of top drawer saves.

In only the fifth minute of the game midfielder Sean Davis gave an example of the hosts intent as he fired in a fierce shot which came back of the post and into the arms of the grateful Jaaskelainen.

This was followed by shots from the edge of the area from Pedro Mendes and former Arsenal and West Brom striker Kanu, both of which where dealt with by the Wanderers defence who had to play Israeli centre half Tal Ben-Haim at left back.

A neat save from a curling Matthew Taylor effort was next on the agenda for Jaaskelainen on twenty minutes but the visitors shocked everyone at Fratton Park some eighty seconds later.

Ben-Haim lofted a trademark Bolton free kick into a packed penalty area and Pompey defender Linvoy Primus was the first to clear the ball with a header. However the clearance dropped to Wanderers skipper Nolan on the edge of the area and he lashed the ball past goalkeeper James for the games opening goal.

El-Hadji Diouf was incurring the wrath of the home crowd every time he touched the ball but the Senegalese front man proved to be one of Bolton's best players on the night by working well down the channels.

Indeed it was a good pass by Diouf which nearly put through Nicolas Anelka ten minutes before the break. The ball was angled over the top of the Portsmouth defenders but Anelka decided to head the ball rather than bring it down and shoot leaving his ex-Manchester City team mate James able to pick up the pieces.

Pompey skipper Dejan Stefanovic could have earned himself a rare goal when getting forward but the experienced full back shot straight at Wanderers keeper Jaaskelainen as the first half ticked down.

Benjani also went close for Portsmouth after lifting the ball over the head of Jaaskelainen and his marker Abdoulaye Faye but the ball bounced out of play for a goal kick.

Just after the break the visitors came out of the blocks the quickest and a fine run down the right from Anelka lead to a angled shot which James managed to gather eventually.

On 50 minutes it was Portsmouth on the attack as Benjani wriggled around Abdoulaye Meite but the end shot was nothing to trouble Jaaskelainen who had been kept the busier of the two keepers.

The game could have turned sour shortly before the hour mark as Matthew Taylor and El-Hadji Diouf continued a long running battle which had began as the referee Uriah Rennie blew for the interval.

Fortunately the hosts saw sense and diffused the situation by replacing Taylor with Congo international striker Lomano Lua-Lua. This swap ultimately lead to a change of system and a more attacking Pompey team.

Harry Redknapp's men had large spells of possession and at times throughout the latter stages of the second half Bolton had a number of their players sat behind the ball.

However it was the Lancashire outfit who came close to getting their second goal of the game as Ivan Campo's long throw in was met first time in the penalty area by goalscorer Nolan who in turn balooned the ball over.

On-loan Chelsea defender Glen Johnson went close for Pompey as they frantically looked for an equaliser but Wanderers stood firm to collect another important win which moves them up to sixth in the league.

Bolton Wanderers: Jussi Jaaskelainen, Nicky Hunt, Abdoulaye Faye, Abdoulaye Meite, Tal Ben-Haim, Kevin Nolan, Ivan Campo (Idan Tal), Gary Speed, Kevin Davies, Nicolas Anelka (Ricardo Vaz-Te), El-Hadji Diouf (Stelios Giannakopoulos)

Subs Not Used: Jarostaw Fojut, Ian Walker

Portsmouth: David James, Glen Johnson, Linvoy Primus, Sol Campbell, Dejan Stefanovic, Gary O'Neil, Sean Davis, Pedro Mendes (David Thompson), Matthew Taylor (Lomano Lua Lua), Nwankwo Kanu, Benjani Mwaruwari (Manuel Fernandes)

Subs Not Used: Noe Pamarot, Dean Kiely

Referee:

Uriah Rennie

Attendance:

19,105

Booked:

Ivan Campo (Bolton)

Tal Ben-Haim (Bolton)

Matthew Taylor (Portsmouth)

Dejan Stefanovic (Portsmouth)

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