Upton Park replay holds no fear for Allardyce

Bolton 4 West Ham 1

The Bolton manager is desperate to get his hands on some silverware this season and continue the club’s remarkable progress.

While Allardyce is aware the Hammers are unlikely to play as badly again in the cup clash as they were on Saturday, he remains confident of progressing. He said: “I expect some of the players who were on their bench to start on Wednesday. After all we hit them really hard. I suspect Marlon Harewood, Yossi Benayoun and Dean Ashton will all be in the team.

“That will make things more difficult for us, but we have nothing to fear. We now have three wins against West Ham this season and want to continue in the FA Cup. It is important to us.”

Hammers boss Alan Pardew believes they can turn things around in the knockout competition.

Midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker looks set to return after a bout of sickness left him on the sidelines. Pardew said: “The cup will be different. We were unlucky to lose to Bolton in the league at Upton Park. I am hoping we will be stronger at home and will get a real good response from the supporters.”

Certainly they were not at the races at the Reebok Stadium, where Bolton have lost only once all season.

Stelios Giannakopoulos (two), Gary Speed and substitute Henrik Pedersen found the target while Teddy Sheringham got a consolation goal.

It was a sweet finish and sweet moment for Pedersen, who has just returned to action after a four-month absence with an Achilles problem.

“It is nice to have him back,” said Allardyce. “Henrik is a confidence player and that goal will boost him no end. But all the players were absolutely magnificent.

“It was a very comfortable victory.”

Bolton made the breakthrough in the 12th minute when Giannakopoulos tapped the ball in after Ricardo Vaz Te’s header had come back off the post.

The Hammers almost drew level in the 23rd minute when Shaun Newton’s goal-bound effort was cleared by Joey O’Brien.

Bolton went 2-0 ahead in the 32nd minute after Kevin Nolan’s effort took a slight deflection off Giannakopoulos to wrong-foot goalkeeper Shaka Hislop for his 11th goal of the season.

Then Jay-Jay Okocha saw two efforts in quick succession superbly parried by the goalkeeper. Speed made it 3-0 to Bolton on the stroke of half-time with a spectacular overhead kick after Ricardo Gardner had headed the ball on.

The Hammers pulled a goal back in the 78th minute when Sheringham scored at the back post after Jussi Jaaskelainen had parried a shot from Benayoun.

Pedersen, however, restored Bolton’s three-goal advantage three minutes later.

Pardew said: “I made some changes, thinking they would make us stronger defensively but it did not work out like that.

“I will not lay any blame at anyone’s door. I have to take responsibility. We did not look sound and Bolton did play well. We had one of those games.”

Opta Fact: 68% of Bolton’s goals have come from midfielders, a higher percentage than at any other club.

Opta Fact: Teddy Sheringham has scored five goals in his last four Premiership games against Bolton.