It was unfortunate for the Wanderers as they looked good enough to get a point from the game but the Toffees pressure in the final quarter of an hour paid off in what was the tenth anniversairy of football at the Reebok Stadium.

Bolton had much more of the possession early on but it was the visitors from Merseyside who had the first couple of attempts on goal, the second of which proved crucial.

Firstly Spanish midfielder Mikel Arteta curled his free kick over the bar of Wanderers keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen and then on eleven minutes Everton debutant Yakubu Aiyegbeni opened the scoring after his strike partner Andy Johnson had broken clear down the right.

Johnson used his pace to take advantage of a mistake by Bolton defender Gerald Cid before cutting the ball back for the £11.25 million Yakubu to net his first goal in the blue of Everton.

Mikel Alonso was once again industrious in the midfield for the hosts and he could have brought them back on level terms when hitting a swerving volley first time which Everton keeper Tim Howard managed to claw away.

This was followed by a shot on the turn by El-Hadji Diouf after skipper Kevin Nolan had flicked a Nicky Hunt throw in into the path of the in form Senegalese international.

The Wanderers could not turn their use of the ball into goals and but for a deflected free kick by Diouf it wasn't until just before the break until Howard and his goal where severly tested again.

Alonso brought the home support of the Reebok to its feet in the 40th minute when producing a stunning drive from distance which rattled off the underside of the crossbar with American international Howard beaten all ends up.

Everton nearly added to their lead a minute later when former Sheffield United regular Phil Jagielka forced a close range save out of Bolton keeper Jaaskelainen after Arteta had swung in a corner from the right.

The England B cap Jagielka got his head to the ball but the Finnish international Jaaskelainen once again showed how important he is to the Bolton cause when denying the versatile player.

Yakubu and Andy Johnson both had efforts blocked as the half ended but Bolton manager Sammy Lee was quick to change things around when handing Andy O'Brien his debut at the start of the second half in place of Cid.

Bolton got themselves back into it five minutes after the restart when Diouf's cross from the left wasn't properly cleared by the Everton defence allowing an unmarked Nicolas Anelka to equalise with a volley of world class proportions.

Anelka had only just recently agreed to extend his deal with the Trotters and his goal helped to lift the home side soonafter but their midfielder Nolan should have made sure of a second goal after the Frenchman had crossed in a perfect ball from the edge of the box.

David Moyes decided to introduce Danish midfielder Thomas Gravesen from the bench and the tough battler inspired Everton to push on for victory in what was looking to be a very opened ended final half hour.

Mikel Alonso had Howard scrambling across his goal in an attempt to try and nudge Bolton ahead whilst at the other end Andy Johnson found himself in a one on one situation with Jaaskelainen after centre half Abdoulaye Meite had failed to control the ball properly.

Fortunately for Bolton the England international was foiled by the feet of Jaaskelainen but in truth the one time Crystal Palace man should have done a lot better.

Fellow substitute Leon Osman also should have forced a save out of Jaaskelainen but the midfielder could only fire Arteta's pull back from the right high into the South Stand.

In the final minute Everton's late pressure come to fruition when a left wing corner from Gravesen was headed home at the far post by Lescott for his first goal of the season.

Bolton must now pick themselves up for an away date with Birmingham City in two weeks from now and this will be followed by a trip to Macedonia to face FK Rabotnicki.

BOLTON WANDERERS: Jussi Jaaskelainen, Nicky Hunt (Kevin Davies), Abdoulaye Meite, Gerald Cid (Andy O'Brien), Jlloyd Samuel, Kevin Nolan, Gavin McCann (Christian Wilhelmsson), Gary Speed, Mikel Alonso, El-Hadji Diouf, Nicolas Anelka

SUBS NOT USED: Daniel Braaten, Ali Al-Habsi (GK)

EVERTON: Tim Howard, Phil Jagielka, Joseph Yobo, Joleon Lescott, Leighton Baines, Steven Pienaar (Leon Osman), Lee Carsley (Thomas Gravesen), Phil Neville, Mikel Arteta, Andy Johnson, Yakubu Aiyegbeni (Victor Anichebe)

SUBS NOT USED: James McFadden, Stefan Wessels (GK)

ATTENDANCE:

22,064

REFEREE:

Peter Walton

BOOKED:

Baines (Everton)

Hunt (Bolton)

Lescott (Everton)

Gravesen (Everton)

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