The closeness of so many teams in the Premier League could be seen as due to the excellence of the competition — or a fall in standards. This match pointed to the latter. Two goals in the first three minutes and a subsequent smorgasbord of chances suggests the kind of game a hack could describe as a “Christmas cracker”. If this was a cracker, it was one of those budget efforts containing an indistinct moulded- plastic trinket, hackneyed riddle and flimsy hat. It is as if in 2008-9, the season of the credit crunch, sides have decided to sell goals cheap.

Yet another top-flight match was marred by rank defending and shoddy midfield play. If either team had been half-decent at finishing, the scoreline would have been spectacular. At least it favoured the right team.

Portsmouth were the main reason for being critical of the action. Bolton were far better and it was bewildering that they did not build on a 2-0 lead established by 3.03pm. But they were also flawed, especially when put under pressure around the 18-yard box. Matthew Taylor, the former Portsmouth favourite, and Kevin Davies had them cowering every time the ball was off the ground.

It’s no wonder Tony Adams, the Portsmouth manager, was still croaky when he appeared for the post-match press conference, having shouted himself hoarse at half-time. “The way we started was absolutely awful. We weren’t up for the fight. I said to them, ‘What part did you not understand when I was talking before the game about one-on-one fights, defending set plays and winning the battle’, which you’ve got to do at a place like Bolton,” Adams sighed.

Only when Lassana Diarra was introduced was ground held in midfield. Adams’s men could yet be drawn into a relegation struggle without the Frenchman, who is negotiating personal terms with Real Madrid after Portsmouth accepted £18m offer for his services. Adams scotched rumours that Manchester City are making a late effort to hijack Real’s bid. It was a surprise that Diarra, who said his goodbyes to away fans at full-time, was involved at all but “he’s a great guy and professional who wants to train and play”, Adams said.

Sean Davis and Richard Hughes were insubstantial in Diarra’s central position but Portsmouth were even worse, defensively, in wide midfield. It was as if they had never seen 4-2-3-1, so easily did Taylor and Ricardo Gardner get behind Papa Bouba Diop and Nico Kranjcar.

Taylor and Gardner were the standout performers and the early scorers. Andy O’Brien chipped forward, Davies won a header against Sylvain Distin and Taylor flicked the ball delicately over Hreidarsson before burying a volley beyond David James. One-nil, with 45 seconds elapsed. Then, with Bolton once more able to flood through the gap between Portsmouth’s defence and midfield, Nolan floated a pass for Taylor to head back and Gardner let fly with a sweet hitch-kick volley past James.

Gary Megson could not believe his players stopped there. Gardner smacked Gretar Steinsson’s cross wide, while Johan Elmander fired a good chance over. Gardner then failed to finish when one-on-one with James. The half ended with James pushing Steinsson’s header on to the post and Bolton claiming handball by Diop.

Incredibly, it was 2-1, not 6-2 when the whistle blew. It was Bolton’s turn to malfunction defensively when Steinsson made no effort to close down Kranjcar, allowing the Croat to bend a gorgeous cross with the outside of his right boot for Crouch to beat Jussi Jaaskelainen with a clever header at the back post. For a spell, Megson’s men lost concentration and Jermain Defoe looked like taking advantage but he put one effort wide from 20 yards. Megson seemed rightly peeved that there were jeers when he replaced Gardner with Fabrice Muamba but at least Bolton fans are consistent, booing him win, lose or draw.

Star man: Matthew Taylor (Bolton)

Yellow cards: Bolton: Steinsson Portsmouth: Defoe

Referee: M Atkinson

Attendance: 19,884

Bolton Wanderers: Jaaskelainen 6, Steinsson 6, Cahill 6, O’Brien 5, Samuel 5, Davies 6, Nolan 5, McCann 5, Taylor 7, Gardner 7 (Muamba 83min), Elmander 5

Portsmouth: James 5, Pamarot 4, Campbell 5, Distin 4, Hreidarsson 6, Hughes 5 (Diarra 63min), Bouba Diop 3 (Nugent 75min), Davis 4, Kranjcar 5, Defoe 6, Crouch 6