Rovers make Bolton pay penalty

BLACKBURN are beginning to expect penalties against Bolton these days and this feisty clash was littered with yellow cards and bile as Rovers ran out winners by a scoreline they scarcely deserved.

Mark Hughes’ side have now been awarded a total of six spot-kicks in their last four meetings with Bolton and the visitors were behind when Benni McCarthy slammed home from the spot midway through the first half after Gretar Steinsson was adjudged to have fouled David Dunn.

Replays showed that Steinsson knocked the ball out for a corner but McCarthy took full advantage.

But from Matthew Taylor’s free-kick, Kevin Davies stabbed in at the second attempt five minutes after the break before Rasiak had a goal ruled out for offside and was called back for a Bolton free-kick.

Midway through the second period, Gary Cahill went through the back of Dunn just inside the area and once again McCarthy blasted down the middle to restore the lead. David Bentley made the game safe with a header from Dunn’s cross four minutes later and Morten Gamst Pedersen added gloss with his first league goal in a year.

Having progressed to the last 16 of the Uefa Cup with a goalless draw at Atletico Madrid in midweek, Bolton manager Gary Megson said: “We had no complaints with the second penalty but a lorry load of complaints with the first one.”

His opposite number Hughes said: “The score-line was a little bit harsh on Bolton. It will be difficult and it might go right to the wire but I think they’ve got enough to stay up.”

BLACKBURN (4-4-2): Friedel 7, Emerton 6, Samba 5, Khizanishvili 6, Warnock 6, Bentley 7, Reid 8, Dunn 9 (Mokoena 77, 6), Pedersen 6, Santa Cruz 6, McCarthy 8 (Roberts 82, 6).

Subs Not Used: Brown, Tugay, Derbyshire.

BOLTON (4-5-1): Jaaskelainen 6, Steinsson 6, Cahill 6, A O’Brien 6, Gardner 7, Diouf 7, Guthrie 5 (Rasiak 46, 6), Campo 6 (J O’Brien 77, 6), Nolan 7 (Cohen 76, 6), Taylor 5, Davies 6.

Subs Not Used: Al Habsi, Meite.

REFEREE: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne and Wear) 5: The first penalty award was harsh and he could have given Bolton an advantage with Rasiak clean through.

MATCH RATING: **** Until Blackburn’s third goal, it was a feisty affair.