Bolton 2-0 Sunderland

May 4 2008

GARY MEGSON hailed his Bolton battlers as they all but secured Premier League safety.

Only a heavy defeat at Chelsea on Sunday coupled with a massive win for Reading at Derby can send them down.

Boss Megson said: "I can't ask any more of the players in terms of the effort they have put in.

"We can play better because results haven't been enough to get us into a position where we hope a club like this could be. But I can't complain at all."

The Trotters took the lead with a goal after 42 minutes from El-Hadji Diouf.

Skipper Kevin Nolan fired over an inch-perfect cross from the right to the unmarked Senegalese striker.

Diouf controlled the ball expertly with his first touch and we his second was lethal as he sidefooted the ball past Craig Gordon into the roof of the net.

Bolton dominated after the break although Kenwyne Jones missed a golden chance for Sunderland near the end.

Megson's men sealed the points in 83 minutes when Sunderland striker Daryl Murphy headed the ball past Gordon from a Matthew Taylor corner.