Iran midfielder Andranik Teimourian celebrated a rare start for the Wanderers with two well worked second half goals which put Bolton back on course to qualify for Europe and left Wigan anxiously looking over their shoulders at the relegation zone.

The first half was barely a cracker as far as Bolton where concerned and they often found it hard to get out of their own half such was the pressure being exerted by the hosts.

In particular Wigan winger Luis Valencia was giving the Trotters makeshift left back Tal Ben-Haim a torrid time throughout the first half and it came as no surprise that Sam Allardyce hauled off the Israeli defender before the half time break.

Two set pieces gave Wigan their first opportunities of the game in the opening stages. Firstly a corner kick from Ryan Taylor was fired wide by Lee McCulloch and then Australian midfielder Josip Skoko fired into the Bolton wall after Taylor's free kick was initially blocked.

Wigan pressed the Wanderers hard in the first half and they went ahead when Ben-Haim was caught out down the Latics right flank and Paul Scharnars low cross into the box was deflected into his own net by Wanderers defender Nicky Hunt who desperately tried to hack the ball off the line.

Ben-Haim is usually cool and assured in Premiership matches but it is fair to say that the on-loan midfielder Valencia had the beating of him today hence his withdrawal thirty five minutes into the game.

Ricardo Gardner came on to replace Ben-Haim and from that point Bolton began to function much better as a team and began to put pressure on Wigan in the final third.

The Wanderers foray into the home side's half paid off two minutes before the break as some indecisive defending from Wigan allowed El-Hadji Diouf to cut the ball back for strike partner Nicolas Anelka to net his tenth league goal of the season from close range. Anelka becomes the first Bolton player since Michael Ricketts in 2002 to achieve such a feat and is now proving to be money well spent.

Bolton could have so easily been in the lead on the stroke of half time but for Latics keeper John Filan saving well from close range from El-Hadji Diouf after the Senegal striker had picked up the loose ball when Andranik's initial shot was blocked.

The second half started in the same way as the first half had ended with Bolton in the acendency and looking to force home the second goal. It was now the Wanderers who where strong in possession and looking likely to be the ones on course for victory.

It took a moment of brilliance to finally break down the Wigan rearguard though as Jussi Jaaskelainen's long goal kick was brought down deftly by Diouf and he in turn angled the ball into the path of Teimourian who confidently fired past Filan.

Wigan responded well and there was always a danger in the midway point of the second half that they might be good for a point but Andranik finally put any comeback hopes to the sword when he powerfully headed home after Kevin Davies had crossed in from the right..

Ex-Athletic midfielder David Thompson had been battling for Bolton throughout the afternoon but he left the play shortly after Wanderers sealed the game with what appeared to be a knock on his foot. Idan Tal came off the bench as a replacement as the clock ticked down into the final ten minutes.

Lee McCulloch hit the bar for the home side late on but Bolton went home happy after finally managing to defeat their local rivals at the fourth time of asking.

Now Wanderers must face another challenge in the shape of Everton this Monday but it is a case of so far, so good for Sam Allardyce and his team this Easter programme.

Bolton Wanderers: Jussi Jaaskelainen, Nicky Hunt, Abdoulaye Faye, Abdoulaye Meite, Tal Ben-Haim (Ricardo Gardner), David Thompson (Idan Tal), Andranik Teimourian, Gary Speed, Nicolas Anelka (Stelios Giannakopoulos), El-Hadji Diouf

Subs Not Used: Henrik Pedersen, Ali Al-Habsi (GK)

Wigan Athletic: John Filan, Ryan Taylor, Matt Jackson, Fitz Hall, Leighton Baines, Luis Valencia, Paul Scharner, Josip Skoko (David Cotterill), Lee McCulloch, Caleb Folan (Henri Camara), Emile Heskey

Subs Not Used: Kevin Kilbane, David Unsworth, Carlo Nash (GK)

Referee:

Uraiah Rennie

Attendance:

18,610

Booked:

David Thompson (Bolton)

Kevin Davies (Bolton)

Jussi Jaaskelainen (Bolton)

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