West Ham started a fairly miserable half with Dyer and Collison. However Dyer's first start for a while didn't last long as he was forced off in the 20th minute with what looked a hamstring injury. Before being injured Dyer had West Ham's only shot of the first forty minutes and the only one on target for the Irons in the half. His shot from wide left of the goal 15 yards out, however, was straight at the keeper.
For the first 30 minutes West Ham played some reasonable football, without getting anywhere near the Bolton goal, but from about 30 minutes on it was all Bolton. Muamaba came close when his 20 yards effort was deflected wide. Knight and Davis both had headed efforts on goal, both of which flew over the bar. Klasnic shot over from 20 yards, as did Cohen from 10 yards.
In the 45th minute Gabbidon shot from the edge of the area but his shot was wide of the left hand post. In the end West Ham were lucky to go into the break on even terms.
West Ham started the second half a little brighter. Ilunga actually managed a header on target from ten yards from a corner, which was easily saved and Parker broke well and shot from the edge of the area in the 56th minute, forcing a good save from Jaaskelainen. However in the 63rd minute Lee drifted in from the left wing, played a one-two with Klasnic and beat Green from 7 yards.
It only took West Ham six minutes to get back on terms. Franco did well on the left of the area, passed to Collison, who then laid off a pass to Diamanti who shot and scored from the edge of the area. Two minutes later and Parker almost put West Ham into the lead, shooting just over from 20 yards.
With West Ham then looking the more likely to score in the 76th minute Green fumbled an easy catch and dropped the ball straight at Klasnic's feet for him to score an easy goal from four yards.
In the 87th minute Bolton scored their third from a corner to the back post when Cahill headed home from three yards.
So another depressing evening for West Ham, with Dyer presumably out injured for a couple of seasons and Green making a howler of a mistake to gift Bolton the lead.