Ricardo Gardner eased the pressure on Bolton Wanderers with a goal and an assist to give them a 2-0 win over Manchester City.

The victory was enough to lift them off the bottom of the Barclays Premier League and out of the bottom three.

The Jamaica international replaced the injured Mustapha Riga shortly before half-time against Manchester City at the Reebok Stadium and applied the finishing touch to a wicked low cross from Gretar Steinsson in the 77th minute.

It was the Trotters' first goal for five hours and 50 minutes and Gardner then turned provider by crossing low for City skipper Richard Dunne to put through his own goal with two minutes remaining.

Victory breathed new life into Bolton's campaign and gave the Lancashire outfit their first home win since the opening day of the season.

For Megson, the relief was immense and he could not fault his players' effort or desire throughout in a largely forgettable encounter.

This success was chiselled on obstinate defending, excellent goalkeeping from Jussi Jaaskelainen and Gardner's outstanding personal contribution.

City, for their part, offered precious little and Mark Hughes' men have now won just once in six league matches and remain as inconsistent as ever.

Robinho showed plenty of glimpses of quality but the Brazilian and his team-mates could find no way past Jaaskelainen, who made at least three saves of the highest quality.

Bolton were without club-record signing Johan Elmander due to a groin injury and Kevin Davies was asked to plough a lone furrow up front.

Robinho showed plenty of early promise with some delightful footwork and acute awareness of players around him.

The Brazilian magician was deployed just behind Evans but frequently drifted out to the left flank in a bid to collect possession.

He did that in the sixth minute, with almost devastating consequences for Bolton.Gliding his way infield from the left, Robinho hit a ferocious, dipping right-foot shot which flew narrowly over Jaaskelainen's crossbar.

It was a warning sign to Bolton but the hosts were undaunted and quickly gained a foothold on proceedings.

In the 22nd minute, Fabrice Muamba then tried his luck from 30 yards but his rising shot flew harmlessly over Joe Hart's goal.

Robinho remained City's most potent attacking weapon and he chipped a delightful pass behind the Bolton defence and into Shaun Wright-Phillips' path in the 27th minute.

The England winger showed neat control and hooked a left-footed cross into the danger zone but the delivery was all too easily cleared.

City carved out the most clear-cut chance in the 41st minute when Evans' neat pass cut Bolton to pieces and gave Stephen Ireland a clear run of goal, but Jaaskelainen raced off his line to smother the midfielder's low shot.

Bolton replaced Riga with Gardner shortly before the interval after the Dutchman took a knock following a heavy challenge from Dunne.

But Jaaskelainen was forced into another fine parried save on the stroke of half-time when he denied Evans after the Welshman was put clear by Wright-Phillips, who then headed straight at the goalkeeper after the ball was played back into the danger zone.

City sought to up the tempo after the restart and in the 51st minute Wright-Phillips embarked on a fine run, cutting in from the left flank and engineering the space to thrash a left-foot shot over the crossbar.

The visitors went far closer in the 57th minute when Robinho found the space to turn past Steinsson and plant a neat right-foot shot which required another fine save from Jaaskelainen.

While Bolton's quality was questionable, their spirit was not in doubt and in the 62nd minute Hart denied Kevin Nolan with a brave close-range save before referee Mike Riley waved away appeals for a penalty following Dunne's clumsy challenge on Matty Taylor.

The breakthrough finally arrived with 13 minutes remaining when Nolan's astute pass sent Steinsson clear down the right flank.

He whipped in a brilliant low cross which Gardner fired in left-footed off the underside of the crossbar.

The goal poured confidence into Megson's players and victory was assured minutes from time when Gardner crossed low from the left and  Dunne fired the ball into his own from six yards.