Gera turns Albion's fight into delight for Megson

West Bromwich Albion 2 Bolton Wanderers 1

When a manager's job is in the balance, his team either fight for him or take flight. The first victory of the season for Gary Megson's side proved how the players felt about the prospect of him leaving the Black Country.

It had been reported that Megson had to win this game or face the sack as he met his chairman Jeremy Peace on Friday and talked about the rest of the season. Those talks did not put Megson's mind at ease, he said last night, but this result certainly did.

Either way he had certainly taken a risk in achieving this victory, which takes West Brom out of the bottom three and is the first win for any of last May's promoted sides. Indeed he had been ruthless with some of his squad by dropping Jason Koumas, his midfield playmaker, and Robert Earnshaw.

Those two talented players also appeared to be West Brom's best chance of winning but, in the end, Megson's choice proved correct.

Bolton have no such worries and having acquitted themselves with draws against Arsenal and Manchester United, this represented an excellent opportunity to reinforce their position in the top six. Stelios Giannakopoulos' 73rd minute free-kick was not enough to do that.

Without Earnshaw, West Brom initially lacked a cutting edge but when they did get forward Zoltan Gera and Nwankwo Kanu took up the responsibility of trying to add some cheer to what has been an unhappy campaign so far.

With Megson constantly at odds with his chairman, Albion's discipline has also given them difficulties, having had a man sent off in both their last two games. But off the pitch, troubles still simmer, as Megson said: "My talks on Friday didn't help the atmosphere but this win takes some pressure off. The other things are still around."

At least this time they kept all 11 men on the pitch and two of them, Gera and Kanu, combined for the first goal. The former, a Hungary international signed in the summer, had already tried his luck twice in the first half, going closest with 20-yard shot, and he was involved in both goals.

The first one arrived 12 minutes after the break when Gera moved inside from the right wing, his pass reached Kanu and the Nigerian side-footed the ball home from six yards.

Yet though Bolton found themselves being penned back by an increasingly confident West Brom, they could have taken the lead mid-way through the first half and increased Albion's woes. Ricardo Gardner ventured into the penalty area and his shot was spilled by Russell Hoult and Kevin Nolan's attempt to follow-up hit the post.

That miss was made to look even more costly when the home side doubled their lead with 25 minutes of the match remaining. Jonathan Greening took a corner and Gera proved how well he has settled in to Premiership life by heading past Jussi Jaaskelainen from 10 yards for the decisive goal.