Birmingham 1 Bolton 2: Bolton Wanderers registered their first win in 11 attempts last night when Kevin Nolan scored deep into stoppage time. Birmingham appeared to have rescued a point thanks to Matthew Upson's second goal of the season but the England under-21 international Nolan was on hand to tuck the ball home after Maik Taylor failed to hold a fierce lob from Jay-Jay Okocha.
Bolton's win was overshadowed by allegations from a Birmingham supporter that El-Hadji Diouf, who has twice before been in trouble for spitting, spat during the celebrations that followed his first-half goal.
Birmingham's manager Steve Bruce had endorsed his board's strong line regarding the treatment of the transfer-seeking Robbie Savage by omitting the Wales international from both the starting line-up and substitutes' bench. It was the first time the midfielder had been dropped since he joined the club from Leicester City two years ago.
Savage's place in central midfield went to Darren Anderton but it was the hosts' right-winger, Damien Johnson, who posed the visitors their first problems. His free-kick was headed wide by Upson before, set up by Emile Heskey, the Northern Irleand international followed suit with a cross-shot.
An even worse miss came at the other end when Nolan nodded a cross from Stelios Giannakopoulos into the path of Diouf who failed to make a telling contact and Taylor saved easily.
Taylor was again reprieved when Nolan, put through by Okocha, had the chance to finish but his shot lacked venom and Taylor, diving to his left, pushed the ball to safety.
Birmingham's goalkeeper was finally beaten having just made a superb save to block a volley from Okocha after Nolan had crossed from the right. The rebound fell to Diouf who fired the loose ball into the roof of Taylor's goal.
The goal, Diouf's fourth of the season, marked the first time in five games Bolton had taken the lead and Birmingham wasted no time in trying to ensure it was a brief experience.
Heskey, put through by Anderton, saw his powerful shot beaten away by Jussi Jaaskelainen. Then Olivier Tebily caused more alarm in the Bolton rearguard with a cross-shot from distance that fizzed past Jaaskelainen's left-hand post.
Birmingham pitched camp in the Bolton half after the break as the visitors appeared content to protect their advantage. It almost proved a costly ploy when Mario Melchiot, who had earlier tested Jaaskelainen, should have equalised following a corner.
Birmingham's pressure finally told following a corner on the right taken by Anderton. This time Clinton Morrison was first to it, hitting the woodwork with a spectacular overhead kick with the rebound falling for Upson to force home. Both sides seemed destined to share the spoils until Nolan popped up in the last minute to earn the visitors a much-needed win.
BIRMINGHAM: Maik Taylor, Melchiot, Cunningham, Upson, Tebily (Gray 64), Johnson, Anderton, Clemence (Clapham 73), Lazaridis, Heskey, Morrison (Yorke 77). Subs not used: Martin Taylor, Vaesen. Booked: Heskey, Upson. Goals: Upson 66.
BOLTON: Jaaskelainen, Hunt, N'Gotty, Jaidi, Gardner, Nolan, Speed (Hierro 76), Campo, Okocha, Giannakopoulos (Pedersen 57), Diouf. Subs not used: Poole, Ben Haim, Vaz Te. Booked: Diouf, N'Gotty. Goals: Diouf 17, Nolan 90.
Referee: U Rennie (S Yorkshire).
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