Football: Bolton banking on Blake

By Guy Hodgson

Bolton Wanderers 5 Crystal Palace 2

WHAT makes The Great Escape a poignant film is that so very few do, which ought to temper the exuberance of the Bolton supporters belting out the theme tune at the end of this match. Getting over the wire is one thing, reaching Blighty another.

A win against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge next Sunday will mean Colin Todd's side stays in the Premiership next season at the expense of Everton. When you are in trouble, just extending the season to the final match is a triumph and one that Barnsley and Palace would dearly love to have achieved. In real terms, Bolton are on their motorbikes and still going.

They have a chance, too, if they can extend their exuberance of the last five weeks for another seven days. In March, they looked dead and heading for Bury, but 16 points out of 27 have resuscitated them. And facing Chelsea just a few days before the European Cup-Winners' Cup final might be just the final fixture ailing clubs pray for.

"I've said all along I thought we'd survive," Colin Todd, the Bolton manager, said. "Whatever side Chelsea put out it's still going to be a difficult job because they've got a squad of 22 players who have all figured in the Premiership this season. All I am interested in is my side. Whatever 11 players I put out there, they'll be fighting desperately to stay in the Premiership."

On the evidence of this match, they have a promising chance. Everton supporters might have been sceptical about Crystal Palace's commitment in view of their own demise but they fought for every inch of the Reebok and it required large reserves of will from Bolton to prevail.

Some teams might have decided that there is no point confronting fate when Dean Gordon and Marcus Bent overturned Nathan Blake's seventh-minute opener with two glorious shots, but Bolton defied their nerves to win by a substantial margin.

It spoke volumes for their camaraderie and Todd also spoke volumes about it. "One player said the spirit was poor when he was here," Todd revealed, and you expected the cloak of anonymity that intrigues and infuriates in equal proportion. Except the player in question is Sasa Curcic and the Bolton manager hardly ever holds back on that subject.

"There was only one player who had a problem and that was Curcic himself," he added, "not the rest of us. We've always had a good spirit and when you want it to be at a maximum is when you're in a bit of trouble. We've never faltered this season. We've stuck together."

No chance of Todd signing Curcic if he becomes available then, which should please the Bolton supporters who booed their erstwhile hero every time he touched the ball. The fact that they also jeered Todd 21 months ago for selling the Yugoslavian midfielder to Aston Villa was conveniently forgotten. It is great being a football fan: you are never wrong.

Neither - or hardly ever - was Blake who had a marvellous match and is possibly the most improved striker in the Premiership. Always fitfully skilful, he has added power and intent to his talents and he terrorised the Palace defence, who had reason to be frightened, given their goalkeeper Kevin Miller's desperate performance.

Bolton's first goal was Blake at his best. Paul Warhurst was first to a hopeful pass to the left flank but was brushed aside by the Welsh striker who cut inside another defender and then blasted under Miller's dive. Given his part in his side's fourth and fifth goals and the fact he drove Valerien Ismael into such rashness the Palace defender got sent off, his was a performance to cherish.

Todd obviously thought so too because he brought his spearhead off to put him in cotton wool for the big Stamford Bridge decider. Chelsea might want an easy run up to Stockholm but Blake's presence will guarantee anything but. While he is fit, the Bolton supporters are not necessarily whistling in the wind.

Goals: Blake (7) 1-0; Gordon (8) 1-1; Bent (15) 1-2; Fish (19) 2-2; Phillips (26) 3-2; Thompson (74) 4-2; Holdsworth (78) 5-2.

Bolton Wanderers (3-5-2): Branagan; Bergsson, Fish, Taggart; Cox, Frandsen, Sheridan (Johansen, 89), Thompson, Phillips; Taylor (Holdsworth, 54), Blake (Salako, 83). Substitutes not used: Todd, Jaaskelainen (gk).

Crystal Palace (3-5-2): Miller; Ismael, Warhurst, Hreidarsson; Edworthy, Lombardo (Shipperley, 75), Fullarton, Curcic, Gordon; Bent, Jansen. Substitutes not used: Dyer, Rodger, Smith, Nash (gk).

Bookings: Bolton: Bergsson, Frandsen; Crystal Palace: Bent, Hreidarsson, Fullarton. Sending-off: Crystal Palace: Ismael (82).

Referee: N Barry (Scunthorpe).

Man of the match: Blake.

Attendance: 24,449.