Anelka opens account as Bolton advance

Goals from Kevin Nolan, Ivan Campo and Nicolas Anelka gave Bolton a 3-1 victory over Carling Cup second-round opponents Walsall at the Bescot Stadium.

Substitute Nolan netted the first of four second-half goals before Martin Butler hauled the Saddlers back on terms.

But late strikes from Campo and Anelka ensured the Premiership side triumphed over their League Two hosts.

But it was the hosts who were on the attack early on as Craig Pead and Michael Dobson laid the groundwork for a Butler shot on the turn which forced Walker into a one-handed save low to his left with just three minutes gone.

Mark Wright was next to chance his arm for the hosts but Bolton keeper Ian Walker was barely troubled by the deflected effort which came just short of the quarter-hour, ahead of Michael Dobson letting fly with a spectacular but wayward effort from range.

Just short of 20 minutes Stelios Giannakopoulos played in Anelka who squared for both the Greek and Ricardo Vaz Te to miss their kicks.

As play swung to the other end, Saddlers centre-half Chris Westwood hit the post with a header from Dean Keates' cross before Bolton broke again with Vaz Te denied by at point-blank range by Clayton Ince's parry while a frustrated Anelka stood unmarked on the penalty spot and waiting for a pass.

Next, Vaz Te's falling volley was blocked by veteran Saddlers defender Ian Roper before Hector Sam headed Keats' cross wide of Walker's woodwork.

Both sides were unchanged for the start of the second period, which opened with Keates testing Walker with a 20-yard free-kick fired direct from the left channel, although the former England shotstopper never looked seriously troubled.

Then Abdoulaye Meite met the second of two Bolton corners in quick succession with a header which forced Clayton Ince to tip the ball on to the bar with Idan Tal unable to force home the rebound.

Walsall responded as Wright made tracks along the right wing and picked out Butler with a pin-point cross but the striker could only head wide.

Pead was the next to chance his arm but the right-back proved another whose shooting boots had been left in the dressing room.

And then, in the 68th minute, the deadlock was broken as Anelka reached the byline and crossed to the back post where Nolan, a second-half substitute, was presented with an elementary finish.
But five minutes later, Keates hit the junction of post and bar with a left-channel free-kick and Butler headed home the rebound.

With five minutes remaining, El-Hadji Diouf, another Wanderers substitute, picked out Vaz Te but the striker could only head into the stand.

However, with two minutes to go, Campo netted with a back-post header from Gary Speed's right wing corner before Anelka pounced with a ruthless finish in the midst of a penalty-box melee.