READING, England (AFP) - Bolton beat Reading 2-0 here on Saturday thanks to goals from Kevin Nolan and Heidar Helguson to ease their relegation worries.

It was their first away win in the league and intensified the home side's own worries about the drop as Reading have now lost their last six in the Premier League.

The home side had started strongly but had goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann to thank that they did not fall behind earlier as the American denied Matt Taylor from the penalty spot.

Bolton were awarded a penalty in the 25th minute when Marek Matejovsky tripped Gretar Rafn Steinsson a yard inside the box as they challenged for Leroy Lita's clearing header. Up stepped Taylor but Hahnemann guessed correctly and dived to his left to save.

Bolton took the lead from the free-kick in the 33rd minute with Nolan sweeping home from inside the box after Jussi Jaaskelainen's long ball had been headed across the danger zone by Kevin Davies, who had got the better of Kalifa Cisse.

The half ended with Dave Kitson booked for a late tackle on Ricardo Gardner in the Bolton box and James Harper lucky to escape one for bowling Ivan Campo over.

Helguson fired just wide on the turn as Bolton began the second half as they had left off but Taylor needed to keep a clear head in his own box to cope with a Lita foray.

Bolton doubled their lead in the 58th minute through Helguson, who poked past Hahnemann after Taylor's initial shot had taken a deflection.

The Reading fans were convinced a linesman had blundered by not flagging for offside but television replays proved the official had been spot on.