Bolton 0-2 Blackburn
Jussi Jaaskelainen and Sam Ricketts argue about the latter's own goal
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By Tom Powell. |  |
Sunday, 22, Nov 2009 03:25
By Matt Hallam.
Blackburn secured their first away win of the season with a comfortable victory over Bolton at the Reebok Stadium.
David Dunn's first-half strike put Blackburn ahead before Sam Ricketts headed into his own net after a comical mix-up with his goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen.
Bolton had their chances but their inability to hit the target cost them with Matt Taylor and Kevin Davies guilty of wasting their team's best opportunities.
The defeat leaves Bolton in the relegation zone with only one home win this season.
Gary Megson made four changes from the side that lost at Aston Villa with Andy O'Brien and Jlloyd Samuel returning to the defence and Gary McCann making his first start for over two months.
Assistant manager Neil McDonald took charge of Blackburn with Sam Allardyce resting before his scheduled heart surgery. Jason Roberts replaced Mortem Gamst Pedersen whilst El Hadji Diouf returned to face his former club.
Blackburn started brightly with Dunn flashing a volley past the post and Franco Di Santo hitting a drive from 20 yards that was deflected off target by O'Brien.
Bolton had the best chance of the early stages though when McCann sent a searching cross to the back post. Taylor looked to be in the perfect position but couldn't direct the ball goalwards, allowing Gael Givet to clear.
Blackburn responded through Dunn who outmuscled Gary Cahill to head the ball over the advancing Jaaskelainen. The ball looked to be sneaking inside the post but Cahill managed to get back and hook the ball over the bar.
The teams continued to trade blows with Bolton's Taylor hitting the bar with a free-kick that deflected off Ryan Nelsen.
Blackburn went one better though as Dunn opened the scoring with a glorious finish. Roberts held the ball up in the box before laying the ball off to Dunn who flicked a curling shot past Jaaskelainen from the left of the area.
Taylor twice came close to equalising in first-half stoppage time with a curling free-kick that Paul Robinson tipped over the bar and a header from the following corner that he put wide from four yards out.
Diouf almost doubled Blackburn's advantage after the break with a volley from McCann's headed clearance. The Bolton midfielder stood his ground though and was in the right place to head Diouf's effort off the line.
Bolton continued to threaten Robinson's goal but they struggled to apply the finishing touch with Ricardo Gardner shooting wide and Kevin Davies sending a header into the ground and looping over the bar.
Bolton's inability to hit the target allowed Blackburn to settle again with Dunn playing in Di Santo who was denied by Jaaskelainen before McCann made another goal line clearance from Roberts' header.
Megson introduced Ivan Klasnic and Chung-Yong Lee in an attempt to inject more energy in attack, however, a defensive meltdown meant his team found themselves 2-0 down.
Brett Emerton sent a long ball up field and with Jaaskelainen rushing out to collect the ball, Ricketts inexplicably headed the ball past his goalkeeper and into his own net.
Klasnic came close to pulling a goal back late on when he rounded Robinson and sent a shot towards goal, only for Lars Jacobsen to slide in and clear the ball to ensure a clean sheet as well as a victory for Blackburn Rovers.