Gudjohnsen goal keeps Bolton's Cup train rolling

Bolton made progress on another front last night after Eidur Gudjohnsen's second match-winning strike in a week.

Bolton made progress on another front last night after Eidur Gudjohnsen's second match-winning strike in a week.

The Icelander scored a candidate for goal of the season last week; the one he put in during the first half against Cardiff City was not in that class, but it was enough to see off determined and enterprising opposition and book a fourth round trip to Grimsby in the Wanderers' second-favourite Cup competition.

Worthington Cup semi-finalists they may be, but Bolton's recent form in the League was poor enough to give Cardiff City real hope going into this delayed FA Cup tie.

Wanderers' knockout exploits have been accompanied by three successive defeats in the First Division. For the visit of the Welshmen, struggling towards the foot of the Second Division, Sam Allardyce gave a rare outing in goal to Steve Banks and a first start to Franck Passi, whose previous battle honours include a European Cup semi-final with Monaco.

Looking Bolton's way was City's most distinguished FA Cup campaigner, Jon Hallworth, who played in goal for Oldham in the semi-finals earlier in his career.

It was Banks rather than Hallworth who had the early work to do, mainly by virtue of Andy Legg's freakishly long throws. For a while, it was a case of Bolton absorbing all that Cardiff could throw at them. The Welshmen created the first real chance when Jason Bowen's clever pass released Josh Low and Legg missed an open goal from the cross.

The first sign that Bolton might be imposing themselves came when Claus Jensen, set up by Michael Johansen, saw his shot smack the outside of the post. After 28 minutes they took the lead. Passi picked out Gardner with an angled ball and, although his initial shot was blocked by Hallworth, he followed up to lay it into the path of Gudjohnsen, who blasted home.

Almost immediately, Hallworth had to save well from Gardner as Bolton began to make their status, not to mention their cup expertise, tell. They should have doubled their lead shortly before half-time, but Jeff Eckhardt's last-ditch tackle denied Bob Taylor a tap-in at the far post.

Despite that escape, Cardiff still needed a breakthrough early in the second half. Instead, Bolton went close to extending their lead through headers from Gudjohnsen and Dean Holden.

Banks had to save at the feet of the continually lively Bowen and Richard Carpenter had a shot deflected over. As Cardiff maintained their hunt for an equaliser, Banks also had to save from Ritchie Humphreys, who was in a good enough position to have left him helpless.

Gudjohnsen should have removed all doubt 17 minutes from the end but blazed over an inviting goal.

Bolton Wanderers (4-4-2): Banks; Holden, Bergsson, Fish, Whitlow; Johansen, Jensen, Passi, Gardner; Taylor (Aljofree, 88), Gudjohnsen. Substitutes not used: Jaaskelainen, Hansen, Strong, Staton.

Cardiff City (3-5-2): Hallworth; Eckhardt, Perrett, Ford (Middleton, 20); Low, Fowler, Carpenter, Schwinkdorf (Hill,70), Legg (Faerber, 88); Bowen, Humphreys.

Substitutes not used: Thomas, Kelly (gk).

Referee: G Laws (Whitley Bay).