Whatever Gary Megson managed to do last season when he coaxed Bolton Wanderers to safety on the final day, there appears little doubt the manager must do the same again if the club are to extend their stay in the Premier League. Rooted second bottom after Marouane Fellaini’s last-minute header — the Everton midfield player’s third goal in four matches — inflicted the most painful of defeats, Wanderers’ position already looks gloomy.

While David Moyes, the Everton manager, had cause to count his luck and revel in the impressive recent return of his £15 million signing from Standard Liège, Megson was left in no doubt that fortune will not turn his way until his side remind themselves how to score. Unable to fashion more than a handful of half-chances against the disappointing visiting team, Bolton reacted to the opportunities that did fall their way with an alarming lack of conviction and Megson admitted that until they can remedy that deficiency, their prospects of moving away from the relegation zone are slim.

“Obviously we are in trouble and we have got to start winning games,” the manager said. “We haven’t scored in six of our games and that’s simply not good enough if we want to move up the table. When the opportunities come along, we have to be able to take them. But at the moment that is not happening.”

Megson’s despair was understandable, and his frustration was clear at seeing his previously attentive back four go walkabout when Steven Pienaar crossed towards an unmarked Fellaini, 20 seconds before the end of normal time.

“If we had drawn the game, it would have been disappointing, but to lose a game after we have played like that and created chances is a big disappointment,” Megson said. “The mood of the players is down at the moment but we will lift ourselves up. We have got to stay together. That won’t be a problem with this squad. The dressing-room is strong and we are determined to get out of this.”

Earlier Matt Taylor had missed two good chances, one in each half, to put the home side ahead but too many of Bolton’s efforts on goal rolled tamely into the hands of the largely untroubled Tim Howard, the Everton goalkeeper. The visiting team were no better, failing to make Jussi Jaaskelainen in the Bolton goal work especially hard, despite a relatively bright opening when Louis Saha and Yakubu Ayegbeni threatened. That Fellaini’s free header went in only after striking a post summed up the game.

“It was a game littered with mistakes and, to be honest, I thought the ball was going to bounce wide,” Moyes said. “But it was our first clean sheet of the season and it was the defence and the rest of the team that gave us the chance to go on and win it.

“I thought Marouane was good when he first came to us, but he is also one for the future. He has had to adapt quickly and he has been dragging us along recently, rather than us dragging him along which is what should be happening. This was a good result for us and it wasn’t easy after the game against Manchester United. But we have been doing well away from home and what we have to do now is improve at Goodison Park.”

Bolton Wanderers (4-4-2): J Jaaskelainen — G Steinsson, G Cahill, A O’Brien, J Samuel — R Mustapha, K Nolan, F Muamba, M Taylor — K Davies, J Elmander. Substitutes not used: Al Habsi, N Hunt, D Shittu, R Gardner, H Helguson, T Cohen, E Smolarek. Booked: Samuel, Elmander.

Everton (4-4-2): T Howard — P Neville, J Yobo, P Jagielka, J Lescott — S Pienaar, M Fellaini, L Osman, M Arteta (sub: J Rodwell, 90min) — L Saha (sub: V Anichebe, 83), Y Ayebeni (sub: T Cahill, 63). Substitutes not used: C Nash, T Hibbert, L Baines, J Vaughan. Booked: Lescott.

Referee: P Dowd.