Matt puts on gloss finish for Trotters
Taylor struck twice in the last 10 minutes at the Britannia Stadium to cancel out Dave Kitson’s first-half opener and seal a victory which took Bolton seven points clear of the relegation zone with three games to play.
It was a sweet moment for the former Portsmouth winger who has frequently found himself on the bench since Coyle’s arrival at Bolton in January.
Taylor’s first start in seven weeks came in midweek against Chelsea. Having impressed then, he was handed another opportunity on Saturday and Coyle was delighted to see the 28-year-old making the most of it.
“Matt Taylor is a terrific player, as we know,” Coyle said. “I felt when we first came to the club that he was trying too hard to impress, but he has got those qualities.
“I left him out of the team and then he came back in against Chelsea and was magnificent. He showed his qualities again against Stoke and I’m delighted for him.
“The boys are honest to a fault, and he has quality to go with it. I’m delighted that Matty has got his rewards.”
Substitute Vladimir Weiss was involved in both goals, winning the free-kick – in rather debatable circumstances – which Taylor struck off the Stoke wall and past Thomas Sorensen in the 85th minute and then providing the cross for his team-mate to bundle home three minutes later.
Coyle has only ever used Weiss from the bench since signing him on loan from Manchester City in January and was delighted with the Slovakian’s impact.
“I brought Vladimir Weiss on and he has been frustrated because he has not been playing,” Coyle said.
“He came into the fray and his wing play was magnificent. He was brought down for the free-kick and then there was his run for the winning goal.
“I felt he brightened the play up and it is just a magnificent three points.”
Tony Pulis questioned why referee Stuart Attwell had appeared to hesitate before judging that Weiss’ tumble under a challenge by Dean Whitehead merited a free-kick, but the Stoke boss was more disappointed to see his team squander a host of opportunities.
“It’s one of those games. I’ve been in football long enough and been through some of those experiences, but it’s very disappointing for us,” Pulis said.
“We had the opportunities and the chances. We needed the second goal really.
“They had two good efforts in the second half just after half-time that went across the face of the goal.
“But when you look at what we had, the chances and the opportunities, the game should have been over.”
Turkish forward Tuncay Sanli was booed by some of the Stoke crowd after he reacted to being substituted in the second half by heading straight down the tunnel, something Pulis admitted was unlikely to have gone down well with the player’s team-mates either.
“Players have egos, and players, especially from abroad and from different cultures, have different ways of showing their emotions,” Pulis said.
“You have to accept that, but whether the lads do or not, he has to stay in that dressing room.”
He added: “I can understand the crowd (booing). This club has been very united over the last few years, the group of players and supporters together, and I think they appreciate it if the team is having a go.
“Tunny is different but he has to go into the dressing room and face the players afterwards. The lads won’t be too happy, irrespective of where he is from.
“They have got this spirit which is very special and they expect him to be the same.”
MATCH RATING: *** – Great result for Bolton given that Stoke are a difficult prospect at home.
REFEREE: Stuart Atwell (Warwickshire) 4 – The free-kick in the build-up to Taylor’s equaliser was contentious as he at first allowed Stoke to play on. Continued to award free-kicks for what seemed non-existent fouls.
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