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As expected, Steve Bruce threw in 17 year old Matt Sadler for his Premiership debut, following his full debut just last month in the Worthington Cup victory at Leyton Orient. Kenny Cunningham also returned to the heart of the defence in the place of the suspended Olivier Tebily. Bolton themselves picked an attacking team, with both Youri Djorkaeff and Jay Jay Okocha supporting Michael Ricketts up front.
Blues started the game well, settling into something of a pattern early on. However, it was the visitors who created the first real opportunity, with a last ditch tackle from the excellent Darren Purse preventing World Cup winner Djorkaeff getting a strike in on goal.
As the first half progressed, Djorkaeff became more and more prominent, and whilst Blues' display in the opening 45 minutes was lively, it was barely threatening. Stan Lazaridis had the best chance, following good work by Clinton Morrison, whilst Stern John hit the post prior to realising he had taken up an offside position. The weather conditions didn't aid the contest though, and at half time, the score was 0-0, with neither team looking particularly threatening.
The second half started in much the same vain as the first, with only the odd spark of good football being shown, such as Okocha's magnificent 35 yard drive that struck Nico Vaesen's crossbar with the Belgian stranded. It was Blues though, who broke the deadlock some 5 minutes later - on the hour mark - through a stunning volley from Purse. Paul Devlin and Robbie Savage combined to take a short corner, and when the ball reached Purse some 15 yards out, he was able to get his body over the ball, and strike the ball home expertly on the turn.
Just minutes later, Bolton were reduced to ten men, following Ricardo Gardner's second bookable offence. Gardner brough down Blues substitute Geoff Horsfield as he turned on the break, and whilst the decision could be viewed as harsh, it appeared to be a similar pair of bookings to Tebily's at The Hawthorns a fortnight ago. Some referees would brandish the card whilst some would choose not to. Mtr Foy opted to get his yellow card out of his shirt pocket on two occasions for Gardner, and despite his lengthy protests, he had to go.
It was Bolton, somewhat surprisingly, who netted the next goal of the game on 71 minutes. Mike Whitlow hit a deep cross following another short corner, and Okocha was able to sweetly strike a thunderous volley past Vaesen to level matters much to the Blues fans disappointment. Surely the opportunity of victory against ten men of the bottom club couldn't slip away, could it?
Well, no, it couldn't. Within seconds Blues had produced one of the best moves of the game, with Devlin finding John, who timed a through ball to perfection to the unrushing Savage. Savage faced with the advancing Jussi Jaaskelainen, coolly rounded the 'keeper, before knocking the ball in for his first goal for Blues - and did he enjoy it?!
Blues were now beginning to open up the visitors defence as they chased the game, and cemented the victory with 7 minutes remaining through Horsfield. Morrison had been played into acres of space, and after Jaaskelainen had tipped the Irish International's chipped effort onto the post, it fell perfectly for Horsfield to tap into the unguarded net.
Blues could have ended up with six or seven goals, with Morrison and substitutes Darryl Powell and Bryan Hughes all wasting great opportunities. In the end though, any victory in such a crunch game was welcome, and in the end it was a comfortable one. Sadler was accomplished in his league debut, and Savage was again immense, rubbing the travelling supporters noses in it following his indiscretions against the Lancashire club last season.
PLAYER RATINGS:
Vaesen - Did what he had to do well considering the slippery conditions
Kenna - Quietly effective
Sadler - Highly competent debut
Purse - Magnificent
Cunningham - Assured
Devlin - Disappointing again
Lazaridis - Frustrating at times
Cisse - Much improved on last week
Savage - Superb
Morrison - Better
John - Struggled at times
SUBS:
Horsfield - Made a difference yet again
Powell - Proving to be a very, very handy squad player
Hughes - Got involved