Bolton Wanderers remained unbeaten on the pre-season tour of Germany and Holland, securing a 2-1 victory over Den Bosch thanks to goals in each half by debutant Sam Ricketts and skipper Kevin Davies.

The margin of the scoreline didn't reflect the nature of the game as the Trotters dominated the friendly, rarely being troubled by their hosts from the Dutch second division.

A deflected goal by Fabio Caracciolo on 80 minutes was scant consolation for Den Bosch, but that failed to take the gloss off another encouraging performance by Bolton.

Again fitness was the priority for Gary Megson's squad and following on from the weekend, 14 players got at least a half of football under their belts.

The few Wanderers fans at the De Vliert were given the chance to see Sam Ricketts and Zat Knight in action for the first time as Gary Megson made five changes in his starting line-up from the 1-1 draw with Borussia Monchengladbach at the weekend.

The Whites began the game with an urgency about them, passing the ball confidently across the lush turf. Jlloyd Samuel was finding plenty of space down the left and his whipped cross, from Matt Taylor's cut back, was seized upon by Mark Davies, who prodded over the bar from six yards out.

At the first opportunity, Zat Knight ventured forward for a set piece on halfway and he subsequently won the resulting header, giving an early indication of the threat his height will pose in the final third. He was also vigilant back in his own defensive third too, mopping up long balls over the top on a couple of occasions.

After having a relatively quiet 45 minutes against Monchengladbach, Ali Al Habsi was given an early sighter when he was alert to clutch onto Fabio Caracciolo's glancing header, while Johan Elmander also drew Den Bosch's stopper Braham Zaari into action on 15 minutes with a nodded near post header that was palmed around the post.

As the first half progressed, Sean Davis was beginning to pull the strings in midfield with raking balls from deep, but the midfielder's first significant impact on the game was to hit the woodwork with a free-kick midway through the half. Although it was a curling delivery intended for Kevin Davies and Johan Elmander, both strikers couldn't connect and the ball rebounded off the far post with Zat Knight smashing the rebound just over the target.

Wanderers were bossing the contest and they made their dominance count through a Sam Ricketts header. The former Hull defender notched only once during his three-year spell at the KC Stadium, but waited just 28 minutes to open his Bolton account, burying Sean Davis' pinpoint corner.

The lead might have lasted only a short while had Paco van Moorsel not made the most of a hesitant error by Ali Al Habsi, and a relatively quiet 15 minutes ensued before the half-time whistle was blown.

Gary Megson opted against making wholesale changes at the interval, just replacing Ali Al Habsi, Jlloyd Samuel and Mark Davies with Adam Bogdan, Paul Robinson and Gavin McCann.

The lead could have been doubled within seconds of the restart through Matt Taylor. Unselfish play by Johan Elmander, who taken the ball to the side of Brahim Zaari, helped to tee up the Wanderers' number seven, but his driven shot was repelled around the post the by the Den Bosch goalkeeper.

Indeed, Zaari was beginning to put in an impressive shift, making his third telling contribution of the evening only two minutes later to deny Gavin McCann. The ferocious volley was palmed to safety preventing the substitute from recording his second goal of the pre-season tour.

The second goal was looking increasing likely and it duly arrived through a Kevin Davies tap-in on 57 minutes. Again Elmander worked tirelessly to force a mistake in the Den Bosch defence and when his pass found Matt Taylor, the ball was eventually taken around Zaari and squared for the captain to slot in from three yards out.

Den Bosch began to offer faint signs getting themselves back into the game, most notably a shot by Barakat that was wide of the target and a close-range header from Caracciolo, held well by Bogdan.

Sam Ricketts' impressive debut came to its conclusion on 73 minutes as Gretar Steinsson was introduced in a straight swap at right-back. It had been an eye catching first outing for the versatile defender who not only looked extremely steady in defence but also put in telling contributions in the final third with marauding runs and well executed crosses.

Ten minutes before the final whistle and Den Bosch pulled a goal back. The hosts' liveliest player, Fabio Caracciolo, tried his luck from the edge of the penalty area but to the misfortune of Adam Bogdan and Gavin McCann, the ball took a wicked deflection off the midfielder and looped up agonisingly over the Hungarian and into the back of the net.

The consolation sparked a series of chants from the pocket of home supporters, but Den Bosch nor Bolton failed produce any more noteworthy chances before the final whistle.

Gary Megson's side complete their tour on Friday with a trip to FC Eindhoven.

Den Bosch: Zaari, van Buuren, de Boer, Peters, Wijlaars (El Makrini 72), Nieuwendaal, Barakat, Caracciolo, Vorthoren ( 60) Verbeek, van Moorsel, Scheimann (Subs not used: van Hoeven, van Weert, Scholten, El Idrissi, van der Pluijm, El Khayati, van Geelkerken)

Bolton: Al Habsi (Bogdan 46), Ricketts (Steinsson 73), Cahill, Samuel (Robinson 46), Knight, Mark Davies (McCann 46), Davis, Muamba, Taylor, Elmander, Kevin Davies (Subs not used: O'Brien, Shittu, Riga, Cohen, Hunt)

Goals: Bolton; Ricketts (28), Kevin Davies (57). Den Bosch; Fabio Caracciolo (80)