Green error helps Bolton to valuable win

West Ham goalkeeper Robert Green's extraordinary error helped Bolton Wanderers to a 3-1 victory over their relegation rivals at the Reebok Stadium here on Tuesday.

Bolton, who climbed out of the bottom three on the back of this win, went ahead through Lee Chung-Yong's second half goal before Alessandro Diamanti equalised minutes later. But the decisive moment of the game came in the 77th minute when England international Green spilled a Gary Cahill shot in front of his face and Bolton's Ivan Klasnic pounced to make it 2-1.

Cahill himself secured all three points for the home team with a header two minutes from time.

After a lacklustre opening 45 minutes, the game improved after the break.

Bolton's pressure told in the 64th minute when Lee, after a neat one-two with Klasnic, shot over the advancing Green.

But, five minutes later, the Hammers were level when Diamanti scored from 12 yards after being played in Jack Collison from a Guillermo Franco cross. Then came Green's mistake, Klasnic scoring from point-blank range before Cahill ensured a tension-free finish for the home fans.

BOLTON, England, Wednesday, AFP