City have lost for the first time this season, a stoppage time Speed penalty giving Bolton a lucky victory after the Blues hit the woodwork on no fewer than six occasions.
The Match
National hero Andy Flintoff was introduced to the crowd before kick-off, receiving a huge ovation from the entire stadium.
Early pressure from City saw Ben Haim concede a corner, which the Blues were unable to capitalise on with Vassell eventually adjudged to have fouled a defender.
With five minutes gone a clever run by Barton released Musampa, but after cutting in from the left the Dutchman’s shot was weak and easily collected by Jaaskelainen.
City conceded a corner in the sixth minute, with Dunne electing to head behind from a teasing cross. James punched clear with ease to push City back up the field.
And it was in the 12th minute that City had the first real chance of the game. Bruno N’Gotty’s misplaced header fell to Sibierski just inside the area, but the returning Frenchman’s first time volley went straight at Jaaskelainen, who punched clear.
The visitors were the next to threaten after 16 minutes, with a deep cross from Pedersen finding Davies in space eight yards out, but his downward header went straight at James when either side of the ‘keeper would have caused problems.
Musampa had the next chance after 22 minutes, when a cross from Vassell on the right evaded Sibierski but bounced up nicely for the Dutchman, but unfortunately his left-footed shot was skewed wide of Jaaskelainen’s right hand post.
Sadly for Trevor Sinclair there was bad news on 23 minutes, the midfielder looking to have landed heavily on his left foot after a huge leap for a header. The England man was stretchered off to be replaced bu Jihai Sun.
The substitute immediately looked lively, and on 31 minutes he set up Joey Barton, who’s cross was met by the head of the flying Antoine Sibierski. Jaaskelainen was beaten but the ball hit the cross bar, and when falling back it only just went on to the netting on the top of the goal.
Two minutes later Barton went down in the area when looking to connect with a Sibierski flick on, but referee Dean waved the protests away.
Jaaskelainen was again on hand after 38 minutes, punching clear a Musampa free kick from the right. City were having more of the play, coping with Bolton’s few forays towards their area and the Blues’ defence as solid as ever.
And with four minutes to go Jaaskelainen saved the day for the visitors again. A great cross in from Mills found Sibierski, and his powerful header from a superb jump was tipped onto the bar by the ‘keeper to the general disbelief of most in the ground.
The French striker had another chance deep into stoppage time, volleying a Musampa cross with his right foot but the ball flew well wide of the left hand post.
Half time
Campo replaced Faye after the break.
With only three minutes gone, City were near to scoring once more, Musampa putting Barton in and the midfielder took aim with his left foot from the edge of the area. Jaaskelainen was beaten but once again the woodwork came to Bolton’s aid, the ball striking the left hand post and rebounding away.
A minute later the Scouser was the victim of a clumsy Davies foul, which rightly earned the Bolton player the game’s first yellow card.
And it was only two minutes after that when Jaaskelainen again saved his side, his outstretched right foot deflecting Claudio Reyna’s toe-poke from a few yards out. The game had really livened up after the break, with the crowd responding to the players efforts.
Nakata replaced El-Hadji Diouf to make his Bolton league debut.
Amazingly, City hit the frame of the goal again in the 57th minute, Kiki Musampa hammering the ball goalwards from just inside the left side of the area. The ball flew past a flailing Jaaskelainen but thundered against the bar to leave the fans and players wondering just what City would have to do to score.
Ivan Campo tested the City defence with 26 minutes to go, his well struck shot from a corner hitting a tangle of bodies in the area, but James bravely dived in among the flying boots to collect and clear the danger.
With 22 minutes to go Nakata looked offside, but with no flag coming he put a testing low cross in which Distain put behind for the corner, which James collected with ease.
Vassell looked to be setting up a great chance on 76 minutes, flying down the left wing and outting a low cross in towards Sibierski, howver the ball was just behind the Frenchman and despite frantic efforts from City to recover the ball Bolton were able to clear.
Stephen Ireland replaced Joey Barton with 10 minutes remaining.
Nolan looked to have set Nakata up shortly afterwards, his turn in the box releasing the ball to the onrushing Japanese player, but his shot was never controlled and flew a long way over.
And there was mayhem in the Bolton area with six minutes to go, with Ireland forcing a great stop from Jaaskelainen. With the ball zipping around the box Musampa’s shot flew just wide.
A minute after that, it was Sun Jihai’s turn to hit the woodwork, his left footed shot from 20 yards leaving the cross bar quivering to the Chinese player’s astonishment. City had now struck posts or the bar six times in the match!
Three minutes of injury time were called, and just into this period a surging Mills run ended with his cross finding Vassell in the area, but with his shot blocked the England striker was on the floor and trying to hook the ball over himself with his back to goal to no avail.
And then at the death there was the cruellest of blows for City. Pedersen flicked the ball into the area, and his subsequent cross hit Richard Dunne’s left hand, the referee pointing straight to the penalty spot. Gary Speed put the ball to David James’ right, and to the City fans’ disbelief the Blues were a goal down with no time left.
The final whistle blew almost straight away, and no-one in the ground could believe that after dominating the match and hitting the woodwork so many times, City were the losers. The Blues can take heart with the performance, and they could well play worse this season and win.
