As a player, Gianfranco Zola could always run off any frustrations on the pitch, but losing a ridiculously one-sided match presents different problems as West Ham United manager. The Italian emerged from the dressing-room more than an hour after the match in stunned disbelief, head shaking, bemoaning the injustice of a farcical result that spoke volumes for Bolton Wanderers’ sole ambition of staying in the top flight with little regard for their football.

Better sides have staggered, bruised and battered, from the Reebok Stadium, but few have dominated as comprehensively as West Ham. But for a two-minute spell early in the game when they conceded twice and watched a brilliant goalline clearance from the influential Gary Cahill after David Di Michele had wriggled past the goalkeeper, West Ham would have turned their superior technique and overwhelming possession into victory. Mark Noble dithered when clean through and Di Michele’s dreadful miss when bearing down on goal encapsulated how West Ham’s passing style suffers without an assured goalscorer.

They did eventually score when Scott Parker, who was outstanding in taking hold of and driving from midfield, swept the ball in from Jonathan Spector’s low cross. “I am pleased we did not lose our bearings and kept playing,” Zola said.

Zola is too nice to publicly criticise Steve Tanner, the referee, for some awful decisions, but he felt that Kevin Davies had been too tenacious with a succession of challenges on Matthew Upson, including an ugly body-check, for which he was not booked

Megson cited his team’s goals as an example of how they are trying to change their style, but they reverted to their brutal type for the rest of the match. Matt Taylor curled in a wonderful free kick and Davies was the most alert to sidefoot in Johan Elmander’s cross, which caught three West Ham players on their heels.

Bolton Wanderers (4-4-2): J Jaaskelainen 6 — G Steinsson 5, G Cahill 8, S Puygrenier 6 (sub: A O’Brien, 73min, 5), J Samuel 5 — M Taylor 7, M Davies 5, G McCann 4, R Gardner 5 — K Davies 7, J Elmander 5 (sub: F Muamba, 76). Substitutes not used: A Al Habsi, E Smolarek, C Basham, A Makukula, D Shittu. Next: Newcastle United (h).

West Ham United (4-4-2): R Green 5 — J Spector 6 (sub: F Sears, 85), J Collins 6 (sub: J Tomkins, 16, 7), M Upson 6, H Ilunga 6 — V Behrami 5, S Parker 8, M Noble 5, J Collison 6 (sub: Savio, 62, 6) — D Di Michele 6, C Cole 6. Substitutes not used: J Lastuvka, W López, R Kovac, D Tristán. Booked: Upson, Noble. Next: Manchester City (h).

Referee: S Tanner. Attendance: 21,245.