Goals from Henrik Pedersen – his seventh of the season – and Ivan Campo condemned City to defeat at the Reebok Stadium.

Bolton are on a roll at just the right time and have now picked up 14 points out of a possible 21.

For a few hours at least they were above Leeds and Birmingham and up into 15th spot.

City, meanwhile, have nosedived since the turn of the year.

Bolton manager Allardyce decided to stick with the team that defeated Tottenham in their last outing.

City should have taken the lead in the sixth minute when Nicolas Anelka scooped a shot over the bar from six yards following a fine delivery from Shaun Wright-Phillips.

Bolton striker Pedersen then made an unsuccessful appeal for a penalty after appearing to have his shirt tugged by Dunne.

Anelka squandered another clear chance in the 11th minute when Eyal Berkovic sprung the offside trap.

The French striker had only goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen to beat but his shot carried little power.

City were playing some nice football and Wright-Phillips strode forward, only to see his shot go wide of the post.

Bolton were awarded a penalty in the 24th minute but Jay Jay Okocha sent his spot kick wide of the target after goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel had brought down Youri Djorkaeff.

Schmeichel was given a yellow card for remonstrating with the assistant referee about the penalty being given when Frandsen slipped the ball through.

There was no lack of incident in the game and Pedersen hit his effort wide from a good position in the 26th minute.

Then two minutes later Schmeichel did well to tip a cross-cum-shot from Mendy onto the top of the bar.

Bolton goalkeeper Jaaskelainen then dropped a cross from Wright-Phillips, only to recover in time as Anelka threatened.

Okocha made up for missing the penalty by helping Bolton take the lead in the 32nd minute.

He laid the ball across the face of the goal and Pedersen knocked it in at the far post for his seventh goal of the season.

Okocha then showed some outrageous skill to weave his way into the area, only to see his shot go wide.

City playmaker Berkovic had been their best performer in the first half and he was quickly into action in the second period.

He got on the end of a pass from Wright-Phillips but his shot failed to trouble Jaaskelainen.

Bolton added a second goal in the 52nd minute when Campo headed a corner from Djorkaeff in off the post.

It was just the boost the home side needed in their battle to beat the drop.

City looked dispirited after that second goal and Okocha rattled a shot wide of the post in the 57th minute when Ricardo Gardner played the ball back to him.

Wright-Phillips skipped into the area but impressive defender Florent Laville stood his ground and managed to dispossess him.

Mendy was causing City constant problems with his pace and willingness to take men on.

He delivered a fine cross into the area after 61 minutes only to see it scrambled away.

With a 2-0 advantage, Bolton were looking comfortable going into the last 20 minutes.

City manager Kevin Keegan made a triple substitution in the 71st minute bringing on Benarbia, Jon Macken and Steve Jordan for Gerard Wiekens, Fowler and Kevin Horlock.

However it made little difference and the industrious Pedersen was given a standing ovation in the 77th minute when he was replaced by Delroy Facey.