Nolan strike gives Bolton three points

Tottenham 0 Bolton 1

Kevin Nolan gave Bolton their first win at White Hart Lane for 44 years and ended Tottenham’s unbeaten run under caretaker David Pleat.

It was a thoroughly deserved first away win of the season for Sam Allardyce’s men, who were denied by the woodwork on four other occasions as Jay-Jay Okocha in particular tormented and ineffective Spurs side.

The goal came in the 72nd minute and was the first conceded at White Hart Lane under Pleat, the director of football who has been in charge since Glenn Hoddle was sacked in September.

A corner fell to Okocha outside the penalty area and his shot was blocked but not held by goalkeeper Kasey Keller. Nolan was first to react in the six-yard box and stroked home his fourth goal of the season.

Spurs had made the brighter start to the game and Darren Anderton appeared determined to enjoy the 350th league appearance of his club career.

After nine minutes he showed good skill on the right to lose his marker and deliver a dangerous cross which ended with Bobby Zamora having a header blocked. The loose ball came back to Anderton and he was denied a shooting chance by an important saving tackle from Simon Charlton.

Three minutes later Robbie Keane played a brilliant one-two on the edge of the box with Gus Poyet and fired in a fierce drive which Jussi Jaaskelainen did well to push round his right hand post.

Bolton’s first effort on target came after 18 minutes when Nolan turned on the right edge of the box and hit a low shot which was comfortably saved by Keller.

That was followed a minute later by a flash of brilliance from Okocha. The ball fell at his feet on the left, 20 yards from goal, and he fired a rising shot which beat Keller but crashed against the bar.

Spurs were suddenly sloppy and the gave confidence to Bolton, who saw Okocha try his luck from 25 yards after 24 minutes with a low drive again easily saved by Keller.

Spurs were struggling to handle Okocha and after 27 minutes he went on a run which saw him skip past three challenges before hitting a shot which bounced against Richards. The one-man show continued a minute later as the Nigerian flashed another drive over the bar.

Ledley King was caught in possession on their right flank after 34 minutes and Per Frandsen was denied by a vital save from Keller, who dived to his near post to keep the ball out.

When the half-time whistle came, Spurs were mightily relieved to get into the dressing room still on level terms following one of their poorest displays for some time and it was no surprise they were booed off.

Pleat knew he had to liven things up from a Spurs point of view and his answer was to send on Helder Postiga in place of Gus Poyet for the second half. That mean the Portuguese striker partnered Zamora with Keane dropping back into midfield.

It also meant that Spurs were playing with a strike partnership without a Premiership goal between them, although Zamora did break his duck for the club with the winner in Wednesday’s Carling Cup win over West Ham.

Spurs were saved by the woodwork again after 57 minutes after Bolton won a free-kick just outside the area.

Okocha’s curler deflected off his own team-mate Frandsen and came back off the bar, and when Kevin Davies followed up with a header Keller tipped it over the bar.

Pleat went in search of the win when he made his second change after 64 minutes, replacing Taricco with Jonathan Blondel who went to the left wing with Konchesky dropping back.

Konchesky was honest after 68 minutes when he stayed on his feet after being nudged in the box by Hunt, and had he gone down it would have been an interesting call for the ref.

Spurs enjoyed yet another slice of luck after 71 minutes when Stelios let fly from 20 yards and Keller’s fingertips helped it on to the bar.

But that luck ran out a minute later as the corner fell for Okocha. His shot was blocked by Keller but Nolan pounced to stroke home the loose ball and give Bolton a deserved lead.

The Okocha show was not over yet and after 80 minutes he hit yet another piledriver from 20 yards which again crashed against the bar – the third time he was denied by the bar.

Spurs can have no complaints about the result and although it was only their first defeat under Pleat, it was the manner of yet another poor performance which should be cause for some concern.