Three proved to be an unlucky number for Bolton today, not only did they lose three of their starting line up before the half time interval, they also conceded three late goals out of knowhere to record a first Reebok defeat in over a month.

Wanderers had to alter their line up with Abdoulaye Faye injured and Ivan Campo suspended, so in came Tal Ben-Haim in defence and Andranik Teimourian took the place of Campo in midfield.

Reading themselves also made changes with midfielder Steve Sidwell back in the starting eleven and top scorer Kevin Doyle fit to play again after a recent injury doubt.

The hosts started the game out on top and Royals goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann had to be alert within the opening couple of minutes to deny El-Hadji Diouf after Nicky Hunt's long punt upfield had caused the visiting backline some problems.

A similar kind of approach found Kevin Davies in the eleventh minute but the big striker was unable to get enough contact on his shot to force Hahnemann into another save.

A mazy run in from the left wing by Reading's John Oster caused Bolton some problems on the quarter hour mark but the loose ball picked up by Brynjar Gunnarsson went well wide of Jussi Jaaskelainen's goalmouth.

Sidwell also had a half chance for the Berkshire side but the game was in desperate need of livening up and on 21 minutes it happened for all the wrong reasons.

Bolton full back Nicky Hunt had clashed with his namesake Stephen Hunt, the man infamously responsible for leaving Chelsea's Petr Cech with a fractured skull earlier in the season, and in this incident the young Wanderers defender was withdrawn from play after failing to recover from a clattering challenge which left him nursing a calf injury.

Slovakian centre half Lubomir Michalik had been recalled from a loan spell at Leeds United just one day ago and he slotted into the centre of defence for his Bolton debut with Tal Ben-Haim moving over to cover the full back role.

Michalik was dominant in the air throughout the afternoon and put in a very satisfactory performance which will hopefully be the foundations of a successful career with Bolton Wanderers

Star striker Nicolas Anelka had been quiet for Bolton throughout the first half but he produced a piece of brilliance in the twenty fourth minute when shooting on the spin after El-Hadji Diouf had held the ball up well.

Bolton's injury woes continued on the half hour mark when Diouf, in a footrace with Reading full back Ulises De La Cruz down the left wing, pulled up with what appeared to be a hamstring problem.

The Senegal star was then stretchered off after a short delay and Bolton will anxiously await the outcome of tests carried out on the one time Liverpool record signing.

These incidents had lifted the atmosphere around the Reebok Stadium and the Bolton supporters had been riled by the travelling Reading contingent after they abused the injured Diouf as he was being carried off around the pitch .

David Thompson came off the bench to replace Diouf, with the little midfielder slotting into a left wing role as Bolton appeared to play with a strike pairing of Anelka and Kevin Davies.

Like Anelka for Bolton, Reading's leading marksman Doyle was also quiet in the first half, but he did manage to force an excellent save out of the Bolton keeper Jaaskelainen after producing an acrobatic volley.

Andranik then took advantage of some sloppy Reading defending to fire a shot on goal from the edge of the penalty box, but giant American goalkeeper Hahnemann was equal to the shot from the tireless Iranian.

Bolton's bad luck with injuries struck once again as skipper Kevin Nolan was clattered on the stroke of half time by Michael Duberry who was roundly booed thereafter by the home faithful.

This x-rated challenge angered Wanderers manager Sam Allardyce and he was keen to see referee Howard Webb as the teams left the field for the interval to question why such a challenge had gone unpunished.

Nolan ultimately did not come back out for the second half and remarkably Stelios Giannakopoulos became the third Wanderers substitute used after only half the game played.

Stelios almost crowned his introduction with a goal but visiting keeper Hahnemann was quick to deny the little Greek with his legs after a free kick from Tal Ben-Haim had once again caused the uncertain Reading defence concern.

Bolton felt they should have had a penalty on 53 minutes after experienced defender Michael Duberry appeared to handle a goalbound shot from Andranik Teimourian but referee Webb waved away any appeals from the home public.

Ten minutes later and after much effort to break down Reading's resistance, Bolton took the lead when left full back Nicky Shorey inadvertantly diverted the ball past his own keeper after Kevin Davies, Stelios Giannakopoulos and Nicolas Anelka had all combined well down the left flank.

Anelka could have doubled Bolton's advantage soonafter, but Hahnemann was once again in top form and saved well from the Frenchman at his near post after some good work in the build up by Andranik.

There did not seem to be any way back for Reading in the final twenty minutes but Royals chief Steve Coppell went for broke in an attempt to bring his side back into the game as he threw on James Harper, Seol Hi-Kyeon and Shane Long, a decision which went on to pay off.

Bolton substitute Thompson nearly caught out Hahnemann with an audacious lob from the edge of the area with ten minutes remaining but the keeper was once again alert to the danger.

Less than a minute later a goalmouth scramble in the Bolton area lead to an excellent saving block from debutant Michalik, who threw himself in the way of a shot from Duberry.

This was a warning sign that Reading where not out of the game and disaster struck for the hosts with seven minutes left on the clock when defender Abdoulaye Meite hauled down Doyle in the area with referee Webb immediately pointing to the penalty spot. Doyle duly converted for the equaliser and Bolton had let their advantage slip but questions have to be asked about whether the Irish forward was offside in the build up to the decision and if there was also a foul on Meite when the two tangled.

Bolton then went to pieces in the closing stages, Doyle adding a second from within the area after the defence had failed to clear their lines and boo-boy Hunt heading home a superb left wing cross by defender Nicky Shorey.

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

Subs Not Used: Cesar Martin, Ian Walker (GK)

Reading: Marcus Hahnemann, Ulises De La Cruz (James Harper), Ivar Ingimarsson, Michael Duberry, Nicky Shorey, John Oster (Seol Hi-Kyeon), Steve Sidwell, Brynjar Gunnarsson, Stephen Hunt, Kevin Doyle, Dave Kitson (Shane Long)

Subs Not Used: Andre Bikey, Adam Federici (GK)

Referee:

Howard Webb

Attendance:

23,533

Booked:

Nicky Shorey (Reading)

Stephen Hunt (Reading)

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