Phillips’ goal makes wasteful Bolton pay

Phillips pounced in the 69th minute when he breached the Bolton defence to beat Jaaskelainen from six yards after the home side had wasted numerous opportunities to put the game out of Harry Redknapp’s sides reach.

After a superb run of results, Bolton were first into their stride and they were knocking the ball around with a bit of confidence.

They almost took the lead after 19 minutes but Quashie first blocked Kevin Nolan’s effort on the line and then the rebound from Stelios Giannakopoulos.

This was a worrying spell for Southampton and Fernando Hierro’s 20-yard thunderbolt in the 21st minute was deflected to safety at the last minute.

Then Nolan headed wide following a cross from Jay-Jay Okocha as Bolton kept up the pressure.

The breakthrough came after 25 minutes when Giannakopoulos headed home following a delightful cross from the recalled Diouf.

Giannakopoulos and Diouf were causing Southampton no end of problems with their pace and movement.

Okocha almost added a second in the 37th minute following another flowing move when his shot was deflected wide off Rory Delap.

Three minutes after the restart Diouf was wasteful when he scooped a shot over the crossbar when it seemed easier to score after Niemi had blocked Gary Speed’s header on the line.

Higginbotham then came to Saints’ rescue when he got in the way of a piledriver from French defender N’Gotty.

With all Bolton’s pressure, they still only had a one goal lead and there was always a danger Southampton could make them pay for their wastefulness.

Substitute Oakley should have brought Saints level but he sent his close range shot over the top after Jaaskelainen had blocked his opening effort as well as Peter Crouch’s attempt.

That near-miss, however, raised Saints’ spirits a long throw from Delap found Kevin Phillips lurking in the area but Nicky Hunt was alert to the danger and cleared the ball to safety.

Bolton were made pay when Phillips scored but they could have won it in the last minute but Niemi came to Saints’ rescue, when he blocked a close-range Davies effort.

Bolton had 16 shots on target and only one goal to show - a statistic that tells its own story.

BOLTON: Jaaskelainen, Hunt, N’Gotty, Ben Haim, Candela (Gardner 87), Hierro, Nolan (Davies 65), Okocha, Speed, Giannakopoulos (Jaidi 90), Diouf.

SOUTHAMPTON: Niemi, Delap, Lundekvam, Jakobsson, Le Saux (Oakley 45), Telfer, Quashie, Anders Svensson (Nilsson 80), Higginbotham, Crouch, Phillips.

Referee: M Clattenburg.

Middlesbrough 1 Fulham 1

FA Cup Final referee Rob Styles handed Middlesbrough a late reprieve when he awarded a controversial late penalty to deny Fulham victory at the Riverside Stadium.

The official belatedly pointed to the spot for keeper Edwin van der Sar’s challenge on Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, although the incident clearly took place outside the box, and Bolo Zenden fired home from the spot with a minute remaining.

American striker Brian McBride had put the visitors ahead seven minutes earlier with a well-taken goal after missing two gilt-edged chances in the opening 45 minutes.

Bobby Zamora broke Stoke’s resistance and boosted West Ham’s Coca-Cola Championship play-off chances with a 78th-minute winner at the Britannia Stadium.

The fixture represented a game in hand for the Hammers against sixth-placed Reading, so it was a must-win for Alan Pardew’s side.

MIDDLESBROUGH: Jones, Cooper (Kennedy 86), Southgate, Ehiogu, Queudrue, Parlour, Boateng, Zenden, Downing, Hasselbaink, Nemeth.

FULHAM: Van der Sar, Rosenior, Knight, Goma, Volz, Pembridge, Radzinski, Clark, Boa Morte, John (Malbranque 82), McBride.

Referee: R Styles

Last night’s results

B International: Austria B 2 Scotland B 1

Barclays Premiership: Bolton 1 Southampton 1: Middlesbro 1 Fulham 1

The Coca-Cola Championship: Burnley 2 QPR 0: Leicester 1 Cardiff 1: Stoke 0 West Ham 1

Coca-Cola League One: Wrexham v Brentford, postponed

Two: Macclesfield 1 Southend 2

Setanta Cup Group One: Linfield 3 Glentoran 2.