Wanderers manager Sammy Lee made a number of changes from the side which went down to Fulham earlier in the week with Gavin McCann injured and Heidar Helguson dropped down to the substitutes bench.

In came Andranik Teimourian on the right side of midfield for his first appearance of the season and there was also a full debut for Spanish star Mikel Alonso.

Alonso drew the first chance of the game on three minutes but his tame shot from the edge of the area trickled just wide of David James right hand post.

However less than ten minutes later the Trotters edged themselves in front when Nicolas Anelka outstretched Hermann Hreidarsson to fire the ball past his ex-Manchester City team mate James.

Credit must go to El-Hadji Diouf who twisted and turned his one time Liverpool collegue Djimi Traore to supply a delightful diagonal pass into the path of Anelka.

The early part of the first half was really entertaining and both sides looked for goals at every opportunity so it perhaps came as no surprise that Pompey should draw level on the quarter hour mark through Kanu.

Gary O'Neil pumped a deep cross into the box from the right flank and this was met by John Utaka who nodded the ball into the path of the unmarked Kanu who made no mistake from close range.

Kanu had put the ball in the net moments earlier but referee Steve Tanner had blown up for an infringement against the Nigerian international.

Two minutes after the goal Andranik Teimourian produced a delightful shot which was sailing into the far corner of the net but James did well to parry the Iranian's effort.

Putting in a useful performance was El-Hadji Diouf on the flank despite the constant barracking he faced from the home side who fail to forget about his incident with their former defender Arjan De Zeeuw three seasons ago.

On the half hour mark Portsmouth increased their lead through Utaka. Gerald Cid gave the ball away cheaply thus allowing Kanu to put through the pacy wide man who outpaced Nicky Hunt before rounding Jaaskelainen.

It was harsh on the Wanderers as they had made a good game of the contest but once again they paid the price for sloppy defending with now eight goals conceded in just one week.

Jaaskelainen did well to save from Benjani Mwaruwari, whilst at the other end rumoured Portsmouth target Anelka forced a good save out of James when hitting Alonso's chipped cross first time on the volley.

At half time Bolton manager Sammy Lee decided to make changes and go for another winger to provide service for Anelka and supporting forward Kevin Nolan.

Swedish international Christian Wilhelmsson made his first appearance for the club when coming on for Andranik and this was soon followed by Daniel Braaten in place of the disappointing skipper Nolan.

Pompey tested the Wanderers with two half shots in the opening ten minutes of the second half, firstly Taylor fired high and wide and then Bolton cleared their lines after Jaaskelainen had failed to gather an effort from goalscorer Utaka comfortably.

Diouf was having an excellent game for the Wanderers and was alternating from the right and left wings. He teased and tormented the full back before delivering a fine cross which veteran Speed headed at James on the hour.

Bolton where worthy of a point and they seemed to have restored confidence after a couple of defensive mistakes earlier in the game which lead to the two goals being conceded.

However despite Pompey's lack of a cutting edge in the second half they wrapped up the win in cruel circumstances when Taylor despatched a penalty kick in the 87th minute after Cid had clumsily brought down Kanu in the area.

It was a cruel twist of luck for the Wanderers as they pushed hard in the final twenty minutes to try and get an equaliser but such has been the luck lately they found James in good form in the Pompey goal.

Wanderers have a chance to get back to winning ways with two home games coming up against Reading and Everton prior to the international weekend in September.

BOLTON WANDERERS: Jussi Jaaskelainen, Nicky Hunt (Heidar Helguson), Abdoulaye Meite, Gerald Cid, Jlloyd Samuel, Andranik Teimourian (Christian Wilhelmsson), Mikel Alonso, Gary Speed, El-Hadji Diouf, Kevin Nolan (Daniel Braaten), Nicolas Anelka

Subs Not Used: James Sinclair, Ali Al-Habsi (GK)

POMPEY: David James, Djimi Traore, Hermann Hreidarsson, Sylvain Distin, Matt Taylor, Gary O'Neil (Martin Crainie), Sean Davis, Richard Hughes, Benjani Mwaruwari (David Nugent), Kanu (Arnold Muvemba), John Utaka

Subs Not Used: Richard Duffy, Jamie Ashdown (GK)

17,108

REFEREE:

Steve Tanner

BOOKED:

Hunt (Bolton)

Speed (Bolton)

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