Bolton add to Palace misery

Bolton 1 Crystal Palace 0

Kevin Davies re-discovered his scoring instinct today to give Bolton their first Barclays Premiership victory in five games.

It was only his second goal of the season and helped overcome a Crystal Palace team who battled hard with little reward.

The Londoners could have hard a share of the spoils, but Danny Granville rattled the bar from six yards when it seemed easier to find the target.

It was a scrappy bad-tempered game, short on entertainment, and Bolton badly missed the injured Jay-Jay Okocha.

However, midfielder Kevin Nolan did take his place in the team just 12 days after an operation to remove a piece of floating bone in his ankle.

Manager Sam Allardyce made four changes to his line-up after being disappointed at the way they lost at West Brom.

El Hadji Diouf, Nicky Hunt, Davies and Stelios Giannakopoulos all returned for Bolton – and the hosts almost took the lead in the first minute when Radhi Jaidi escaped his marker only to flick a header wide of the target following a corner from Gary Speed.

Palace were looking lively after that first league victory against Fulham, and Ben Watson saw his well-placed free-kick deflected inches wide in the ninth minute.

Ivan Campo and Gary Speed then needed treatment after an aerial collision near the centre circle.

Campo was forced to come off – and rather than replace the Spaniard with a defender, Allardyce brought on Danish striker Henrik Pedersen in the 21st minute.

Pedersen soon picked up the pace of the game and went on a surging run in the 26th minute before being crowded out.

Bolton pushed forward in the 32nd minute, and Giannakopoulos picked out Davies with a deep cross.

But the striker was off balance, and his header failed to trouble Hungarian goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly.

However, it was a warning shot to Palace – and Kiraly had to look alert a minute later when a goal-bound effort by Giannakopolous spun off the heel of Davies.

Bolton had loud claims for a penalty waved away in the 38th minute when Emmerson Boyce appeared to trip Diouf as he raced forward. Instead they had to settle for a corner.

This was a good spell of pressure by the home side, and Giannakopoulos headed wide following a neat chip into the area by Speed.

Davies put Bolton ahead on the stroke of half-time with a clever header from a free kick hit long by Bruno N’Gotty.

Palace should have equalised in the 48th minute when Jussi Jaaskelainen spilled a shot from Ben Watson.

Granville latched on to the loose ball but rattled his effort against the bar from six yards.

Pedersen saw his superb header from close range tipped over the top by Kiraly as Palace were forced on the back foot.

The Dane again went close in the 55th minute after good work by Speed, who was still being troubled by a gash above his eye.

Bolton were beginning to pick up the pace again and looking to extend their advantage against opponents just up from the second tier.

Jamaica international Ricardo Gardner tried to pick out Davies at the back post, but Kiraly was alert to the danger and made a comfortable save.

Pedersen was causing Palace problems every time he had the ball with his willingness to take men on.

With Davies putting in his usual solid shift, Bolton carried a threat up front - although they lacked a cutting edge.

Davies almost added a second goal for Bolton in the 76th minute, but his rasping 25-yard drive cleared the bar.

Nigerian midfielder Khalilou Fadiga, who has overcome an irregular heart-beat, made his bow a minute later when he replaced Diouf.

Tony Popovic then got clear of his marker when Wayne Routledge floated in a free kick, only to head wide of the target for Palace.

Bolton hit back, and Pedersen skied a shot over the bar. That was quickly followed by a Giannakopoulos effort which was marginally off target.