Bolton 3 Reading 0

Bolton 3 (Speed 31, Anelka 54, Braaten 90)
Reading 0

On an overall disappointing afternoon in Bolton, Reading were well beaten 3-0 as the early season strugglers got their campaign going. The real highlights of the afternoon were debuts for Golbourne and Fae, and the 15 minutes returned at the end Lita made from his freak injury.

For the opening half an hour of the match things were pretty even, with Anelka (twice) and Diouf having chances for Bolton, Diouf should have scored even though Golbourne did well to put him off, Hahnemann denied Anelka with one effort.

The chances were coming for Reading too though, and Fae could have marked his debut with a goal but he has his effort blocked with Long denied by a good save from Jaaskelainen.

Bolton took the lead through the veteran Speed on the half hour when he got above Gunnarsson to head home, this goal maintained his record of having scored in every Premiership season since the Premier League began.

That goal saw Bolton take control, as it turned into the Anelka and Diouf show, but how much of this was for Bolton`s benefit and how much for watching managers?

After a couple of early chances in the second half for Reading, with these not taken Anelka punished Reading and made it two, even if he was a little fortunate. A good run saw him sprint clear and although De La Cruz did well to get back at him his touch only took the ball away from Hahnemann to make it look like he rounded the goalkeeper before finishing.

Lita’s return from injury almost brought an immediate goal, but other than that it was Bolton looking the more threatening and after Nolan went close Braaten scored a third in injury time.

Bolton: Jaaskelainen; Hunt, Samuel, Cid, Meite; Speed, McCann, Nolan, Alonso (Braaten 74), Diouf; Anelka
Subs: Al Habsi, O’Brien, Wilhelmsson Davies
Booked: Hunt, Meite

Reading: Hahnemann; De La Cruz (Halls 81), Golbourne (Convey 62), Bikey, Ingimarsson (c); Gunnarsson, Harper, Fae (Lita 73), Hunt; Doyle, Long
Subs: Federici, Cisse
Booked: De La Cruz