Norwich City produced the perfect response to Wednesday's defeat at Sunderland by returning to winning ways and in style against Bolton at Carrow Road.
Paul Lambert was dealt a major blow in 17 first half minutes losing both his centre halves, with only one recognised defender, Russell Martin, on the bench! The right-back who has appeared in central defence earlier in the season, replaced Daniel Ayala, while winger Elliott Bennett then took the place of Zak Whitbread and produced a very accomplished debut in defence.
The Canaries didn't let this setback hold them back at all and always looked the more likely to score. The only surprise was that it took until Andrew Surman's 70th minute opener to get one hand on the three points and only getting both hands on them when Anthony Pilkington sealed the deserved win with just five minutes left.
After that 3-0 defeat at Sunderland Lambert made changes to the side, that probably for the first time this season, ran out of ideas. In came the pace of Simeon Jackson up front instead of Steve Morison, alongside Grant Holt.
Also dropping to the bench were Russell Martin & Bradley Johnson, to make way for Adam Drury and David Fox.
The visitors kicked off towards the Barclay End and immediately took the game to their hosts. After that initially flurry, City took control of the game and Jackson showed why Lambert had chosen him ahead of Morison, after the pacey striker ended a move initiated by Holt and continued with Pilkington down the right. Jackson got in behind the static Bolton defence before lifting his cross into the area, although on that occasion it was just too close to Adam Bogdan who plucked the ball out of the air.
This set the tone for the whole game with the Canaries carrying much more threat in the final third.
Pilkington and Jackson were involved in a great move in the 14th minute that should really have seen City opening the scoring. Bolton allowed Pilkington to set off on a run down the right again, before finding the Canadian striker whose cross was pinpoint to Holt. Unfortunately the strikers first time volley was straight at Bogdan, rather than either side of him, but it highlighted the defensive frailties of the Trotters.
In a counter attack Coyles side did get into the Canaries area, but the dangerous Chris Eagles was well marshaled by Ayala who not only denied the ex Manchester United trainee Eagles getting in his cross, but made sure ball came off him to prevent corner.
But in doing so he then quickly signaled to the bench he had a problem with his hamstring. After physio Neal Reynolds came on it was very quickly clear the defender couldn't continue and Martin was rapidly deployed in his place.
City kept up pressure and Surman had a glorious chance to put his side ahead. Superb work by mercurial Irishman Wes Hoolahan down Bolton's left, sees him pick out Holt in the area whose incisive pass puts the in-rushing Surman one on one with keeper. Surman does well to lift his shot over Bogdan, but his shot rebounds off the bar!
In the 37th minute Lambert is forced into his second substitution as Zak Whitbread sits down on the edge of his area, unable to carry on. After physio Reynolds comes on, the defender walks back to dug out and while play continues he seemed in two minds whether he could carry on or not. His departure to the dressing room finally signaled Elliott Bennett's introduction with just six first-half minutes left, taking Whitbread's place alongside Martin.
Bolton forced a corner shortly before half-time and Martin Petrov narrowly fired over John Ruddy's bar, although it must have taken a touch off a City defender. Eagles also took the subsequent corner but the Canaries makeshift defence dealt with it very easily.
HALF-TIME: City 0 Bolton 0
Into the second half and Bolton were continuing to have to repel City attacks with the lively Jackson in particular continuing to be a pain in their rear. Having got in behind their defence again he fired a low shot past Bogdan across the face of the goal but just the wrong side of the far post. Then after excellent work by Hoolahan down the left, his glancing header was too soft and narrowly went wide.
In the 56th minute Bolton finally forced Ruddy into making a save, palming Petrov's shot out for corner. Petrov took it and the in-swinging delivery so nearly went in had it not been for the alert Ruddy pushing it out with the Trotters substitute Kevin Davies poised to score with what would have been his first touch.
Great work again by Surman ended with Jackson once more getting in behind the defence and with just the keeper to beat, he tried to place round Bogdan but at full stretch he just managed to deny the City striker.
But the head of steam the Canaries were building up didn't go to waste as in their next attack, Surman blasted the rebound into the roof of the net, after Tyrone Mears had blocked his first shot! It had been created by the lively Jackson who turned provider with his astute cut-back.
This was followed by Coyle making a surprising change, taking off one of their most threatening players in Eagles, to bring on Turkish striker Tuncay Sanli. Lambert took the opportunity at the same time to bring on the fresh legs of Morison for Jackson, who had chased every City cause to the last and deserved the standing ovation he got as he left the field of play to be embraced by the City boss.
Not content to sit on their slim 1-0 lead City continued to press. First Holt somehow managed to put the ball over the bar from 4 yards out, then the striker delivered a perfect ball for Morison who headed the ball down goalwards in text-book fashion but was blocked by a defender.
However, Holt's persistence won the home side an 84th minute corner, from which they sealed the game. Right-Back Adam Drury had surprisingly taken the flag kick and with Bogdan spilling Martin's powerful drive, Pilkington was first to react to the lose ball to send a packed Carrow Road home delighted.
FULL-TIME: City 2 Bolton 0