Bolton Wanderers 4 Middlesbrough 1

Apr 5 2009 Sunday Sun

Gretar Steinsson floated in a long-range free-kick and, although Matthew Bates climbed to meet it, he misjudged the flight and could only bundle it kindly at the feet of Elmander, who rolled it inside to unmarked defender Gary Cahill, who hammered home a low shot from 10 yards out.

Boro carved out the first chance after the break on 47 minutes as Tunçay deftly sent Downing sprinting down the right to put a teasing ball across the face of goal, but the arriving Alves failed to connect.

On 52 minutes they went close again as Hoyte long throw into the box was only half-cleared and the Turk sent a 20-yard volley drifting just wide.

But Bolton could have wrapped it up soon after when a free-kick rebounded off the wall to the feet of Elmander but unmarked eight yards out he fired over on the turn and soon after a quick break found Gardner unmarked in the box but he stumbled over the ball as he shaped to shoot before it was scrambled clear.

Boro started to build up a head of steam again and went close on 61 minutes as Alves nodded down an O’Neil free-kick from the left for Tunçay to stab just wide.

And on 65 minutes lively O’Neil got down the right to send in a superb curling cross towards Alves but an alert defender arrived a fraction before him to head behind.

Bolton looked to have taken the sting out of the game but Boro should have levelled out of the blue on 72 minutes when jittery Steinsson under hit a back-pass in the box and Alves latched onto it but could only stab a rushed shot at the advancing Jaaskelainen when he had the freedom to got round him and the time and space to chip.

But it was game over for Boro as they leaked a killer third from another sloppy set-piece on 78 minutes, Matt Taylor sending in a free-kick from wide on the right that sailed over the wall and then bounced in at the far post with keeper Jones rooted.

And Bolton sealed it with a fourth on 84 minutes as Taylor raced down the left and crossed into the box where Gardner had arrived unmarked to control the ball neatly then hammer home a powerful angled drive.

BOLTON WANDERERS

Goals

Kevin Davies 8 mins (1-0), Cahill 44 mins (2-1), Taylor 78 mins (3-1), Gardner 84 mins (4-1).

Bookings

Shittu 3 mins (foul), Muamba 57 mins (foul).

MIDDLESBROUGH

Goal

O’Neil 38 mins (1-1)

Booking

O’Neil

THE MOMENT

Boro had just clawed their way back into the game with an equaliser when Gary Cahill punish poor marking to net Bolton’s second

THE MAN

Matt Taylor, the Bolton midfielder repeatedly carved open Boro and scored with a freak free-kick that sealed the game

THE VILLAIN

Afonso Alves once again squandered a glorious chance that could have given Boro a leveller as they chased the game in the second half

THE VERDICT

Boro now need a miraculous upturn in displays and results if they are to escape – and to judge by this

shambolic performance there is little prospect of that