Bolton boss Owen Coyle admitted his side were below their best as they battled to a 2-0 victory over West Brom on Boxing Day.
Matt Taylor's first goal of the season in the 40th minute and Johan Elmander's ninth four minutes from time earned the Trotters a fifth home victory of the campaign.
Not the least of their achievements was a first clean sheet in the Premier League since the opening day of the season, but they largely had West Brom to thank for that as the visitors contrived to miss chance after chance.
Coyle was honest enough to admit the scoreline was more than a little flattering, but he took encouragement from the fighting spirit shown by his players.
The Scot said: "The important thing today was the three points. I don't think we ever got to our maximum in the game.
"West Brom were terrific, they had some great chances to score but they didn't take them. We scored two good goals in the game and we could have had a couple more ourselves.
"There were a lot of nice attributes today that we'll need as the season goes on. We had to defend with our lives at times, we stood up and it's great to get a clean sheet. It was a different type of performance but it's pleasing to get the three points."
There were different emotions for Baggies boss Roberto Di Matteo, who was left to reflect on a fine away performance ruined by profligacy.
"We're coming away from here again and scratching our heads," he said. "We had more clear chances and we lost. It's tough for us. You get punished in the Barclays Premier League.
"You can't have five or six chances and not score one because it changes the momentum of the game if you score a goal."
Seven of the teams' previous nine Premier League meetings had ended in draws and the early exchanges were cagey in the extreme. When the match did settle down, it was West Brom who looked the more dangerous.
Somen Tchoyi was finding acres of space down the left but it was leading scorer Peter Odemwingie to whom the best chances fell.
Twice he broke the Bolton offside trap but on the first occasion he rushed his shot and on the second his final ball to Graham Dorrans was awful when a better one would surely have resulted in a goal.
And, five minutes before half-time, Bolton made the Baggies pay when Taylor found Chung-yong Lee and his return ball allowed the midfielder to slot home.
The pattern continued in the second half as the visitors poured forward in search of an equaliser. Chris Brunt headed Tchoyi's cross against a post while Odemwingie, James Morrison and Ishmael Miller all squandered great opportunities.
Somewhat inevitably, when a second goal did come, it was one that made the points safe for Bolton. Elmander broke down the right and, when his cross came back to him, he fired clinically under Scott Carson from the tightest of angles.
Odemwingie, who is West Brom's leading scorer with six goals this season, was returning to the side after three weeks out with a calf problem, and Di Matteo blamed rustiness for the striker's failure to find the net.
The Italian added: "Peter had two fantastic chances and it's quite unusual for him (to miss them). He's quite composed in front of goal and he usually scores.
"But that will come. He's been out for a few weeks and I'm sure once he gets back into the rhythm again he will the score the goals."
