Johan Elmander scored twice in a 4-1 win at Sunderland to ensure Bolton made it four wins from five.
Elmander bags two goals as Trotters continue good run of form
Bolton maintained their recent run of good form with a 4-1 win away at Sunderland on Saturday condemning the Black Cats to their third successive home defeat.
Roy Keane's side started the brightest and were rewarded with a goal after 11 minutes when Djibril Cisse picked up Steed Malbranque's pass to send a low shot past the experienced Jussi Jaaskelainen.
The Trotters responded almost immediately when Matt Taylor outwitted Pascal Chimbonda, catching Craig Gordon off his line to head in off the crossbar.
And Bolton's perseverance was rewarded after 21 minutes when Gary Cahill found himself unmarked in the box, firing a low right-footed strike into Gordon's net.
A mistake from Danny Collins shortly before the break let in Johan Elmander who calmly picked up the ball on the edge of the box before slotting underneath Gordon.
Elmander bagged his second of the game ten minutes after the break by firing a Kevin Nolan pass into the roof of the net. The Swede had the chance of a hat-trick after 74 minutes but failed to put the ball past Gordon with his easiest opportunity of the game.
Defensive blunders
Kenwyne Jones had already forced a save out of Jaaskelainen before Cisse grabbed the lead, and it looked like the home side may have heeded Roy Keane's call for a quick response in fine fashion.
Sunderland's goal on 11 minutes was a flowing move as Kieran Richardson fed the ball into Malbranque, who slipped a fine pass into Cisse and he placed his shot inside the far post.
But the visitors were level in the 17th minute when Gretar Steinsson's deep right-wing cross was met by a looping header from Taylor in the box which beat Gordon and nudged home off the underside of the bar.
Wanderers grabbed the lead three minutes later when Andy O'Brien launched a long free-kick into the Sunderland box and the ball sprang loose to Cahill who lashed it home low past Gordon.
Lively front men
Sunderland thought they were level on the half-hour when Cisse blasted the ball home after Jones' header to meet Phil Bardsley's cross had clattered the bar - but referee Chris Foy ruled Jones had fouled Jlloyd Samuel while climbing for the ball.
The non-stop action continued at the other end with Elmander bursting clear and rounding the struggling Gordon on the edge of the box before screwing a left-foot shot wide from a tight angle.
Gordon, back for his first match in almost two months after injury, was having a shocker but Sunderland's lively front men were doing their best to save his blushes and Malbranque was next to flash a shot just wide.
Bolton increased their lead in the 38th minute when Collins made a complete mess of a long punt out of the visitors' box, allowing Elmander to nip in and prod the easiest of chances past Gordon.
And the home side blew it again in the 54th minute when Whitehead stumbled over a clearance and let in Nolan to feed Elmander, who fired home his second from the left side of the box.
Keane made a double substitution introducing Teemu Tainio and Liam Miller but the move was met by boos from the restless home fans who by now were beginning to exit the stadium.
In complete contrast, £10million man Elmander was oozing confidence from his two clinical finishes to add to the fine late strike with which he had broken his long barren spell last week.
The Swede should have completed his hat-trick in the 74th minute when he was sent clear by Kevin Davies but this time pulled his left-foot shot just wide of Gordon's left-hand post.
| Sunderland |
Team Statistics |
Bolton Wanderers |
| 1 |
Goals |
4 |
| 1 |
1st Half Goals |
3 |
| 5 |
Shots on Target |
7 |
| 5 |
Shots off Target |
5 |
| 5 |
Blocked Shots |
2 |
| 5 |
Corners |
6 |
| 10 |
Fouls |
7 |
| 4 |
Offsides |
1 |
| 4 |
Yellow Cards |
0 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 83.6 |
Passing Success |
61.5 |
| 15 |
Tackles |
22 |
| 80 |
Tackles Success |
68.2 |
| 68.6 |
Possession |
31.4 |
| 51.7 |
Territorial Advantage |
48.3 |
|
