Aris lead the game 1-0 right up until the 93rd minute when the veteran winger, come forward poked the ball home past his Greek international team mate Kostas Chalkios in the Aris goal.

Bolton twice hit the bar through defender Andy O'Brien and skipper Kevin Nolan but the first half belonged to the visitors who had brought quite a lively following of over 1,000 people with them from the continent.

A statement of intent from Aris came in the seventh minute when Brazilian full back Neto made a bustling run down the right flank but his excellent cross was headed wide of Jussi Jaaskelainen's right post by Spanish forward Sergio Koke.

The Wanderers plans took an early blow when Gavin McCann was forced off the field following a clash of heads in the thirteenth minute. McCann was unable to return to the action after being treated by physio Steve Foster meaning Mikel Alonso was able to make a rare appearance in the Megson era.

Aris passed the ball about well during the first half and on 24 minutes a good lay off by Koke from the edge of the box allowed midfielder Diogo Sistan to get a shot in but Bolton keeper Jaaskelainen watched the shot go off target.

On the half hour mark Bolton substitute Alonso threaded through Giannakopoulos but his delightful cross from the right was unable to be met with accuracy by Kevin Davies.

Alonso himself fancied his chances eight minutes before the break with the midfielder on loan from Real Sociedad firing in an effort which only just sailed over the bar.

A minute before the break the visitors, sporting their flourescent away kit, went in front when a deep cross from the left was only half cleared by Abdoulaye Meite leaving Spaniard Toni Calvo time to shape up and crash a volley into the back of the net.

It was a good goal from the ex-Barcelona youth product but Trotters manager Gary Megson will be asking questions as to why the youngster was left unchallenged.

The celebrations by the away support turned nasty and a number of stewards and police had to be on hand to restore order after a minority had surged forward.

Bolton almost drew themselves back level immediately when Andy O'Brien headed against the crossbar after Kevin Davies had flicked on a corner from Danny Guthrie.

After the interval, there was a significant improvement by Bolton as Kevin Davies and Alonso had half chances but on 65 minutes Nolan should have done better from inside the box after a good run by Giannakopoulos down the left flank.

A minute later Megson went for broke and introduced his big hitters Nicolas Anelka and El-Hadji Diouf in place of Kevin Davies and Christian Wilhelmsson and despite retaining possession better than they had done in the first half it was still a frustrating night for the Lancashire club.

Abdoulaye Meite was putting in a good shift for the Wanderers at the back and he nearly atoned for his earlier mistake which gifted Aris the opener when nodding a free kick wide at the far post with just over twenty minutes left on the clock.

However some good vision by defender Nikos Karabelas with a chip nearly caught out Jaaskelainen but the Finnish star once again showed how important he is to the Trotters by pulling off a marvellous save to tip the ball over despite being flat footed.

Bolton pressed for an equaliser which didn't look forthcoming until a long ball from Alonso found its way through to Giannakopoulos who took great delight in netting his second goal of the season past his countrymen to give Wanderers hope of UEFA Cup progression.

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

SUBS NOT USED: Jlloyd Samuel, Andranik Teimourian, Lubomir Michalik, Ali Al-Habsi (GK)

ARIS THESSALONIKI: Kostas Chalkias, Darsi Neto, Avraam Papadopoulos, Guiaro Ronaldo, Nikos Karabelas, Thanasis Prittas, Ronald Garcia (Spyridon Gogolos), Konstantinos Nebegleras, Toni Calvo (Javito), Diogo Sistan, Sergio Koke (Anastasios Kyriakos)

SUBS NOT USED: Efthimis Koulouheris, Sanson Felip, Marco Barbieri, Marian Kelemen

ATTENDANCE:

10,229

REFEREE:

Eduardo Itturalde Gonzalez (Spain)

BOOKED:

Papadopoulos (Aris)

Meite (Bolton)

Hunt (Bolton)

Giannakopoulos (Bolton)

Gogolos (Aris)

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