Town's 2004/05 FA Cup campaign came to an early end as Bolton left Portman Road with a 3-1 win. The result rather flattered the visitors, the game having been a closer affair, but their superior second half finishing won the tie.

The Blues lined-up without Richard Naylor at the back, the central defender having picked up a groin strain in the week. His absence led to a reshuffle in the defence, Fabian Wilnis switching to play alongside Jason De Vos at centre-half and Scott Mitchell coming in at right-back.

Danny Karbasiyoon continued at left-back and made his home debut, while sickness victim Matt Richards was on the bench. Flu sufferer Dean Bowditch was not included in the 16, while Tommy Miller dropped to the bench and skipper Jim Magilton returned to the starting 11. Bolton made six changes from the team which beat Birmingham in midweek.

The Trotters had the game's first chance, a shot from the edge of the area from Stelios which gave Kelvin Davis few concerns.

The Blues had the better of the opening stages but didn't create a chance until the 10th minute when Shefki Kuqi found Darren Bent but the striker's 20-yard shot from the right flew wide of Jaaskelainen's goal.

Six minutes later Darren Currie played a fine pass down the left to Kuqi, the Finnish international cutting in before forcing Jaaskelainen into a save with a shot from a tight angle.

Bolton were rarely threatening but for a few speculative efforts from the edge of the area, Fadiga and then Vaz Te both going wide.

The game had been played in a pre-season type atmosphere until the 26th minute when serial-spitter El-Hadji Diouf came on for Kevin Davies, the former England U21 international having picked up a hamstring injury. Diouf was subjected to boos throughout the rest of the game.

Kuqi was close to spectacularly opening the scoring just before the hour when he turned and hit a 25-yard shot on the turn which Jaaskelainen confidently plucked from the air.

Vaz Te tried a similarly extravagant effort in the 31st minute, volleying wide from just outside the area. Soon after, N'Gotty headed wide when he might have done better with a loose ball in the penalty area, Kelvin Davis having mis-punched a corner.

On 38 Kevin Horlock found Kuqi on the right, the striker hitting a shot which Jaaskelainen pushed round the post. From the resultant Currie corner, Magilton's deep cross found Bent but his header was blocked by the Bolton keeper.

Just before the break, Westlake shot over and Karbassiyoon struck a low powerful drive which Jaaskelainen dealt with comfortably.

Town had probably had the better of a fairly even half, certainly the better chances had fallen to their strikers and they would rue failing to take them.

The Blues switched Darren Currie from left to right for the second half, Westlake taking over on the left and Jim Magilton moving into the middle.

Bolton ought to have been in front in the 49th minute. Diouf had been forced wide on the right by an advancing Davis, but the keeper had got back into his goal before the Senegal international crossed deep to the far post where Pedersen blazed over from around three feet out having lost marker Scott Mitchell.

On 52 Darren Currie shot from a tight angle on the left after a short corner with Jim Magilton. The ball fell to Shefki Kuqi inside the area but spun away from him before he could get in a shot.

Ben Haim got his name in the book for a cynical foul on Westlake in the 57th minute, after the midfielder had got away with him in a dangerous position in the Bolton half.

Town boss Joe Royle decided to make a couple of changes while referee Steve Bennett was utilising his pencil, Tommy Miller taking over from Jim Magilton and Pablo Couñago coming on for Darren Currie, as the Blues switched to a 4-3-3 formation.

Three minutes after the change Bolton were in front. Diouf played a clever ball to Stelios running unchecked from midfield, the Greek international breaking beyond the Town defence and beating Kelvin Davis. It was a fine finish, although there were appeals that the scorer was offside when Diouf made his pass.

Bolton were two in front in the 65th minute. Scott Mitchell brought the ball forward down the right but was caught in possession. The youngster won the ball back but lost it again, Diouf sending Pedersen away and the Dane slamming home. Again there were appeals for offside, the section of the Britannia Stand lower tier in line convinced that the assistant referee had got it wrong.

The Blues ought to have got one back two minutes later. Couñago played Westlake through but keeper Jaaskelainen saved on the edge of his area. The Town midfielder might have been better off laying the ball across the box to the unmarked Darren Bent.

A minute later Town were three behind. Mitchell lost out in a challenge with Nolan on the right. The Bolton midfielder played through Pedersen, who lashed the ball into the net for his second of the afternoon.

Town got a goal back in the 70th minute. Kuqi played the ball into Couñago in the area from the right, the Spaniard shielding the ball before laying it back to Miller who shot to Jaaskelainen's right and into the net.

Pedersen wasn't far from a hat-trick in the 75th minute when he latched onto a Diouf cross but sent the ball straight to Davis. On 88 Matt Richards replaced the injured Danny Karbassiyoon.

In injury time Miller did well to reach a loose ball in the area which he played off keeper Jaaskelainen and into the path of Mitchell. It wasn't the youngster's afternoon and his stab goalwards was blocked by Ben Haim.

The Blues will be disappointed to have been defeated by two goals in a game which could have ended in at least a draw. Bolton's superior finishing during a ten-minute spell halfway through the second half when Town's inexperienced backline made a number of errors was the most significant difference between the sides.

Town: Davis, Mitchell, Karbassiyoon (Richards 88), Wilnis, De Vos, Magilton (Miller 57), Horlock, Westlake, Currie (Couñago 57), Bent, Kuqi. Att: 20,080.

Photo: Action Images

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