Stelios Giannakopoulos' last-gasp goal earned Bolton a hard-fought 1-0 win over basement boys Derby.
Last-gasp goal moves Derby closer to the drop
Stelios Giannakopoulos' last-gasp goal earned Bolton a hard-fought 1-0 win over basement boys Derby.
The game looked to be heading for a stalemate until substitute Stelios popped up with the winner to end brave Derby's resistance.
The win moves Bolton up to 14th spot in the table, while Derby are still waiting to register their first away success of the campaign.
Derby bossed the first half in terms of chances created but were left cursing their luck.
They almost took the lead in the fourth minute when Jay McEveley released Craig Fagan.
He raced on and drilled a 20-yard shot that goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen did well to parry.
Bolton hit back and Abdoulaye Meite flicked a header wide of the post after eight minutes following a corner from El-Hadji Diouf.
Nicolas Anelka, who had started the match slowly, sprung into life in the 33rd minute when Diouf played the ball down the line.
The France forward delivered it into the area but Nolan was unable to get any direction on his volley and sent it high over the bar.
Bolton goalkeeper Jaaskelainen prevented his side going behind when he tipped over a header from Fagan in the 38th minute after Eddie Lewis had swung in the corner.
Crossbar
Two minutes later Derby were again cursing their luck when Johnson's effort from the edge of the area beat Jaaskelainen but came back off the bar.
Bolton improved in the second half and Diouf delivered a free-kick to the back post in the 57th minute and Andy O'Brien peeled away from his marker but sent his effort wide.
Bolton were stepping up the pressure and Nolan dragged a shot wide in the 60th minute after a corner from Diouf had only been partially cleared.
Miss
Danny Guthrie should have put them ahead in the 65th minute but skied his shot from close range over the bar after a poor clearance from Tyrone Mears.
Diouf did find the net a minute later after being released by Anelka, only for his effort to be ruled offside.
The pressure was building and Price did well to push a shot from Anelka onto and over the bar.
Nolan was guilty of one of the misses of the season in the 80th minute. He was clear three yards out when Anelka played the ball in but somehow only succeeded in sending his effort high over the bar.
Bolton grabbed the winner in stoppage time when substitute Stelios latched on to a long clearance from Jaaskelainen.
He chipped the ball over Price and headed into an empty net to leave Derby stunned.
| Bolton Wanderers |
Team Statistics |
Derby County |
| 1 |
Goals |
0 |
| 0 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 3 |
Shots on Target |
3 |
| 8 |
Shots off Target |
6 |
| 4 |
Blocked Shots |
1 |
| 11 |
Corners |
7 |
| 10 |
Fouls |
12 |
| 5 |
Offsides |
1 |
| 2 |
Yellow Cards |
3 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 78 |
Passing Success |
58.3 |
| 23 |
Tackles |
32 |
| 73.9 |
Tackles Success |
65.6 |
| 55.4 |
Possession |
44.6 |
| 54 |
Territorial Advantage |
46 |
|
