Bolton Wanderers 0-2 Blackburn Rovers: Visitors Stroll Derby With First Away Win In Ten

Bolton Wanderers 0-2 Blackburn Rovers - Lineups/Stats
Premier League standings

Blackburn Rovers ended their winless streak on the road, and gave manager Sam Allardyce a huge boost, with a victory against local rivals Bolton.

David Dunn's first half goal, coupled with Samuel Rickett's unfortunate own goal late on, handed the visitors an unlikely win.

Bolton manager Gary Megson  made four changes following the 5-1 defeat by Aston Villa in their last match.

Jlloyd Samuel and Andy O'Brien returned to the defence while Gavin McCann and Johan Elmander were also included.

With Sam Allardyce preparing for heart surgery, Blackburn assistant manager Neil McDonald took charge of the visitors and made just one change, with Jason Roberts replacing Morten Gamst Pedersen.

It was the visitors who started the brightest, Dunn clipping a shot wide of the post after four minutes following a misplaced clearance from Sam Ricketts.

Franco Di Santo went on a surging run four minutes later, but his shot deflected off O'Brien's heel.

Bolton began to show their hand, and Matt Taylor got into a good position inside the area but failed to take advantage of McCann's crossfield pass.

Dunn came close to making the breakthrough in the 23rd minute when he hooked the ball over goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen but Gary Cahill read the situation well to make the clearance.

A superb cross from Taylor in the 29th minute almost found Ricardo Gardner at the back post but he couldn't steer it in for Bolton.

Blackburn's lead came after 32 minutes, moments after Bolton had hit the post.

Matthew Taylor's 30 yard free-kick deflected off Ryan Nelson to wrongfoot the goalkeeper, but looped onto the post.

The visitors made them pay just 40 seconds later, with a counter attack leading to Franco Di Santo laying off David Dunn, who coolly clipped a right foot effort from an acute angle past Jussi Jaaskelainen.

Blackburn, however were forced to make a change in the 36th minute with Gael Givet limping off and being replaced by Lars Jacobsen.

Bolton should perhaps have drawn level in stoppage time when Taylor whipped in a free-kick that Paul Robinson did well to push over. Then Taylor headed high into the crowd from inside the six-yard area.

Blackburn almost extended their lead in the 48th minute when McCann's clearance fell to El-Hadji Diouf, but his volley was headed over by the recovering defender.

The home side tried to get back into it, Gardner failing to find the target from inside the six-yard area, before Davies headed wide.

Jaaskelainen then had to block Di Santo's shot in the 64th minute as Blackburn threatened a second.

A minute later McCann again cleared off the line from Roberts, who had headed the ball goalwards following a flick-on from Nelsen.

The visitors sealed the points in the 73rd minute after an awful error in the home defence.

Jaaskelainen came out to meet Emerton's cross, however Samuel Ricketts had got there first to head towards his own goal and into an empty net.

Emerton almost made it 3-0 two minutes later but Jaaskelainen was able to turn his effort round the post.

Bolton had a chance to grab a consolation in the final minute, but Ivan Klasnic's shot was hooked away by Lars Jacobsen.

Andrew Southwick, Goal.com UK