The classic phrase is 'a game of two halves'; but this represented a game of 80 minutes against 10 (You can do the maths and tell me what that represents!).

Two goals down after 11 minutes, West Ham looked down and out on a ground they have never won on and against opponents who seem to have the 'sign' on us. If that wasn't bad enough, Kevin Davies - who would surely be picked for England if he had to face the Hammers every week - scored his inevitable goal against his favourite opponents.

After Matt Taylor had curled in a superb free kick for the home side following Jack Collison's impetuous challenge on the edge of the area, Bolton went further ahead a minute later when the pesky Davies scored his fifth goal in as many matches against the Hammers.

Going two behind so early might normally be the signal for a collapse but West Ham simply turned up the heat and played the following 80 minutes with particular aplomb. The Hammers football was beautiful to watch at times and despite a bad miss by di Michele when clean through and a glorious opportunity wasted by Noble, when he elected to pass when he should have shot, it was no surprise when Scott Parker pulled a goal back just after the hour.

In fact, West Ham could have been level at that time as Taylor had superbly cleared off his line just after the break, but it seemed only a matter of time before the Hammers scored the equaliser their play deserved. Sadly, it never arrived, Jaaskelainen's recovery from a header by Cole being just one of several good attempts that went begging.

Sadly, as has been proved recently, the loss of Bellamy to Manchester City is probably costing the Hammers dearly because enough chances are being carved out but the clinical finishing is missing. As the Hammers returned south after their first defeat in eight matches on the road, another football cliché would probably be uppermost in the manager's mind; 'we'll play worse and win this season'.