Gary Megson remains without a win as manager of Bolton after a late Elano penalty handed Manchester City the win.
Bolton suffer cup defeat
Gary Megson remains without a win as manager of Bolton after a late Elano penalty sent Manchester City into the last eight of the Carling Cup.
Elano slotted home from the penalty spot on 86 minutes, after Lubomir Michalik was adjudged to have handled in the box by referee Howard Webb who had to consult his assistant, to condemn Megson to defeat in his second game as Bolton boss.
The game had been a scrappy affair and only a Didi Hamann free-kick from range for City that drifted narrowly wide of the far post marked the first 15 minutes at the Reebok Stadium.
City then again threatened when Stephen Ireland raced on to a through ball, but the midfielder prodded his effort wide.
Sigh of relief
Bolton, who were playing El Hadji Diouf in a central striking role in the absence of Nicolas Anelka, saw Abdoulaye Meite head narrowly wide on the stroke of half-time but that was as close as they came in a quiet 45 minutes.
After the interval Richard Dunne wasted a good chance for City when he headed wide from a free-kick.
And the City centre-back breathed a sigh of relief when his goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson was well placed to save a 25-yard effort from Stelios Giannakopoulos shortly after.
City manager Sven Goran Eriksson, though, will be concerned by an injury sustained by defender Micah Richards who was carried off with what looked to be a serious problem on 73 minutes.
However, Elano then scored from the spot to send City - who survived a last minute scare when Diouf hit the bar with a free-kick - into Saturday's draw.
