City 2-0 Bolton – Match Report

Goals by Carlos Tevez and Emmanuel Adebayor gave City the points while increasing the pressure on Bolton.

The blues moved above Spurs into fifth position and level on points with Liverpool with a game in hand following the win which had both fortune and brilliance attached to it.

With a win needed to keep pace with their rivals, the blues started tentatively and for a while it was Bolton midfielder Jack Wilshere who ran the show. The on-loan Arsenal star made his full debut for the Trotters and showed enough ability to suggest he can make a real impact at Bolton and help them avoid relegation.

But it was City new boy Adam Johnson who proved to be the difference between the two sides. It was Johnson’s run into the box that was unceremoniously ended by Paul Robinson’s leg in the 30^th minute that which gave Tevez the opportunity to break the deadlock from the penalty spot. Tevez, who hammered a penalty home against United in the Carling Cup, took the opportunity, although with not as much gusto as he did against United but still enough for the ball to squeeze past Jaaskelainen for the opener.

Bolton had a penalty shout of their own minutes later but the referee waved away the appeals from Johan Elmander after he tussled with Kolo Toure in the box. Adebayor had another chance but put his shot wide of the upright and the score remained 1-0 at half time.

Bolton started brightly in the second half and for a while, kept City at bay, but Tevez managed to get a shot at goal which cannoned off the crossbar. With relegation a real threat, Bolton pressed but there was no way through for them and Adebayor sealed the win with 17 minutes remaining. Patrick Vieira, who was also making his first start for the blues, raked a long pass to Adebayor and the ex-gunner took the ball on his chest before hammering a volley past Jaaskelainen.

It was a win, but not a very impressive one and with games against Liverpool, Chelsea and Spurs all coming up, the blues need to improve their performances if they are to claim that elusive fourth spot.