BOLTON have never worried too much about football’s sweet science. But even they would have been a trifle embarrassed about the manner of this victory. West Ham will wonder how on earth they managed to lose to a team of such minimal ambition and technical poverty as Bolton twice in a season.

Until they start offering points for artistic merit, Bolton manager Gary Megson will care not one iota about the quality of the win, earned by two goals in two minutes inside the first quarter of the match. His Wanderers have halted a dismal run of one win in eight matches and clawed their way a fraction closer to survival. Although West Ham have stabilised their position impressively over the past couple of months, only three points now separate the two clubs. Three points and a gap in footballing philosophy the size of the Grand Canyon.

Where West Ham, to their credit, were still trying to pass the ball through midfield in the closing moments, Bolton relied almost exclusively on the long ball to the feet of their captain, Kevin Davies, whose battle with Matthew Upson lasted from first minute to last and ended with a victory on points for Davies. Upson was booked for a two-footed lunge at his opposite number in the first half, but how Davies did not earn a yellow card, for use of the elbow, is one of many questions only Steve Tanner, the referee, can answer. It must be Davies’s boyish face.

Tanner annoyed both teams in roughly equal measure and refused to let West Ham take quick free kicks, which are important to maintaining their quick-passing rhythm. Bolton were delighted. The more staccato the game, the better.

Having squandered two-goal leads against Blackburn and Tottenham, “an air of apprehension set in”, admitted Megson. “We started playing differently, so we need to settle down and get a bit more self-belief.” As he rightly pointed out, the quality of the two goals, a beautifully struck free kick by Matt Taylor and a well-worked move for Kevin Davies’s 10th goal of the season, could not be faulted. “We’re supposed not to be able to do those things at this club,” Megson said.

But too easily Bolton reverted to type, retreating to the edge of their penalty area and thumping the ball into the channels for their lone forward to chase. West Ham, with Scott Parker the most influential player on the field, created a host of chances but until his neat finish 20 minutes from time they strangely lacked conviction in front of goal. The chief culprit was Mark Noble, who was left one on one with Jussi Jaaskelainen after the best move of the match just before half-time and chose to pass instead of shoot.

Taylor cleared off the line early in the second half, a header by Carlton Cole almost slipped through Jaaskelainen’s hands . . . and Bolton survived.

“Football-wise, nobody could disagree that we played better than them,” said West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola. “Not even Bolton fans.”

Star man: Scott Parker (West Ham)

Yellow cards: West Ham: Upson, Noble

Referee: S Tanner

Attendance: 21,245

BOLTON WANDERERS: Jaaskelainen 5, Steinsson 5, Cahill 7, Puygrenier 5 (O’Brien 72min), Samuel 5, K Davies 6, M Davies 6, McCann 5, Gardner 6, Taylor 6, Elmander 5 (Muamba 75min)

WEST HAM UNITED: Green 6, Spector 5 (Sears 85min), Collins 5 (Tomkins 16min, 6), Upson 5, Ilunga 5, Behrami 4, Parker 8, Noble 6, Collison 6 (Nsereko 62min), Cole 6, De Michele 4