Played at Venue: Ewood Park Date:2010-02-21
Blackburn Rovers piled on the misery for Bolton as they took their run of form to 13 points from 18 and left Wanderers with just one win in 11 games thanks to a 3-0 win at Ewood Park.Blackburn Rovers v Bolton Wanderers Match Report
Rovers' ex-Bolton boss Sam Allardyce had goals from Niko Kalinic, Jason Roberts and Gael Givet to thank for his side's biggest win of the season.
Rovers, looking for their fourth successive home win, brought in Junior Hoilett for the injured Brett Emerton, while Bolton, aiming to add to manager Owen Coyle's record of only one League win since he took over from Gary Megson, were unchanged.
Both teams had the ball in the net in the opening 12 minutes, but neither effort counted. On four minutes, a throw-in from Rovers' Morten Gamst Pedersen went straight into the Bolton net without being touched, while Bolton's Johan Elmander steered the ball into the Rovers goal after play had been pulled back for a foul by Matt Taylor on Michel Salgado.
In between, Bolton's Fabrice Muamba shot wide and it was Wanderers who earned the first corner of the game when Rovers' Givet did well to get to a Taylor cross before Kevin Davies and head it wide.
Rovers went close to opening the scoring from their first corner of the game on 20 minutes. Pedersen delivered it from the left and Givet's header from six yards out was kept out by Bolton keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen's feet on the line. From the rebound, Keith Andrews' shot came back off the left-hand post.
On 32 minutes, Pedersen fired a 20-yard free-kick over the bar after Bolton defender Paul Robinson had stopped Kalinic in his tracks with a clumsy challenge.
Blackburn suffered a major blow on 38 minutes when skipper Ryan Nelsen had to be replaced after failing to shake off an ankle problem suffered ten minutes earlier when he fell awkwardly in a challenge. Vince Grella came on and Keith Andrews switched to heart of the backline.
A minute later, Rovers keeper Robinson saved a shot from Taylor with his legs but on 41 minutes, Blackburn were ahead.
Hoilett's long-range pass from the right was touched down by Pedersen to Kalinic, who shot low past Jasskelainen from the edge of the box.
There was a change of referee at half-time, with Chris Foy having sustained a first-half injury and being replaced by fourth official Lee Probert.
Three minutes into the second half, Rovers keeper Robinson got down well to a block a clear run into the box by Ricardo Gardner.
A few minutes later, Blackburn went close to a second when Hoilett set off on surging long run through the centre, passed the ball out to Pedersen and met the return cross perfectly only to see his header well saved by Jaaskelainen.
At the other end, Bolton upped the pressure in pursuit of an equaliser and Robinson did well to fend away a 15-yard shot from Chung-Yong Lee.
But Blackburn added to their lead on 73 minutes when an overhead kick by Givet following a corner saw three Rovers players left onside in front of goal and substitute Jason Roberts shot home from point-blank range.
And Givet sealed Rovers' biggest win of the season when he headed in El-Hadji Diouf's cross from close range with five minutes to go.
Blackburn Rovers v Bolton Wanderers Highlights Video
40:56 GOAL - Nikola Kalinic:Blackburn 1 - 0 Bolton
A long ball from Steven N'Zonzi is headed down by Hoilett into the path of KALINIC whose low drive is deflected past Jaaskelainen.
72:44 GOAL - Jason Roberts:Blackburn 2 - 0 Bolton
Bolton fail to clear a corner properly and when the ball is lobbed back in JASON ROBERTS is unmarked 8 yards out and he volleys past Jaaskelainen.
83:51 GOAL - Gael Givet:Blackburn 3 - 0 Bolton
Diouf's cross from the right is flicked home by GIVET, who was left unmarked in the area. Gael Givet grabs a headed goal from deep inside the penalty area.
Allardyce hails 'best win of the season
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