Coyle hails captain fantastic Davies

Manager Owen Coyle reserved special praise for skipper Kevin Davies after his late goal set Bolton on their way to a 2-0 home win over Derby.

Coyle's men had endured a frustrating evening in which numerous chances went begging before skipper Davies lifted the mood with a fine finish 13 minutes from time. Chris Eagles then sealed the win in added time with a superb right-foot finish. Coyle said: "I thought Kevin Davies was outstanding. Even if he hadn't scored the goal he did, I thought it would still have been a man-of-the-match performance. "He won every header that came his way, he led the line and he showed what the football club means to him. He's a real man's man and obviously we're very fortunate to have him here as captain. "He stood up and showed that. It's all very well when things are going well to sing and dance and join in the party. But in the face of adversity, that's the measure of any man and I think Kevin Davies really did set an example to everybody." Coyle, whose side now host Nottingham Forest on Friday, added: "We certainly merited the win and the way we fashioned it out. After losing your opening game, when you have aspirations of getting back to the Premier League, then every game you go without winning brings pressure."