David Dunn's sixth goal of the season and an own goal from Sam Ricketts were enough to give Blackburn victory in the absence of manager Sam Allardyce, who will undergo surgery on a coronary artery later this week.Dunn swept Blackburn ahead just after the half hour, finishing off a quick breakaway to give the visitors the lead at the interval.
And as Bolton desperately searched for an equaliser, Ricketts headed Brett Emerton's long ball past the on-rushing Jussi Jaaskelainen as Rovers picked up their first away points of the season.
REACTION:
Blackburn captain Ryan Nelsen insisted his side's first away win of the campaign was for Allardyce.
He said: "It will take quite a bit to knock down that old elephant. It was a major shock, especially when it has anything to do with the heart. He's a big man and he must need a big ticker to keep him going."
Assistant manager Neil McDonald felt that Blackburn carried out the instructions laid down by Allardyce to the letter.
The manager picked the side and gave the team-talk on Saturday morning and watched the match at home on television.
McDonald said: "I spoke to him before the game and spoke to him last night and he spoke to the players yesterday before he went home and they all knew what they had to do and we just had to implement it. The players took to it really well.
"For a manager to not be there is quite strange and what we said was 'he's not here, we know our jobs and we have to take responsibility and be professionals' and hopefully we've put a smile on his face and taken a little bit of stress away. It gives him the chance to recover quicker, knowing that his team's doing well.
"Do I feel any stress? No, it's easy, isn't it?
"He's been away last week and came back and said he had to go to hospital and then I got the phone call. He's got himself sorted out and he looks after himself anyway. He's always got check-ups and making sure he's in good health because of the stress of the job.
"Luckily they found it very quickly and I'm told it's a routine operation and he should be back fighting fit very soon which is great for everybody."
Bolton failed to move out of the relegation zone and manager Gary Megson received plenty of abuse from the home supporters and admits his team have to start working harder to arrest their current slump.
He said: "Our starting point to get out of this trouble is making sure that we're organized, hard-working competitive and then try to go on from there. The zip didn't look there.
"If you're looking at a team that's two goals down and playing poorly and I can understand people being angry and leaving.
"Before the goal both teams were similar in terms of how we were playing. The first goal was always going to be important and would have an impact on both teams. The first goal emboldened Blackburn and took the wind out of our sails. The second goal was even worse in terms of that.
"For the first goal, to go from one end to the other so quickly and us not get a touch on it was poor in the extreme."
HOW IT HAPPENED:
An even tussle was sent on its way by Dunn's fine effort just after the half-hour mark. Bolton created plenty of chances and were unlucky that Matt Taylor's free kick was diverted on to the bar by Nelsen, only for Blackburn to go down the other end and move in front with the kind of goal you could not imagine Bolton scoring. Dunn ran the length of the pitch to produce a fine finish from Jason Roberts' lay-off after good work from on-loan Chelsea forward Franco Di Santo. The chances continued to come for Bolton, with Taylor and Ricardo Gardner going close but then they conceded in the most ludicrious circumstances. Ricketts had no idea that Jaaskelainen had raced out to meet Emerton's long punt forward and the Bolton full back headed into his own net. Two evenly matched teams but Blackburn simply had a little more killer instinct.
WHAT IT MEANS:
Bolton should not be in this position but performances like this demonstrate exactly why they are. Megson feels that his team are not working hard enough and once again the fans are on his back. It is nothing a couple of wins would not sort out but another relegation battle should not be on the agenda. Blackburn have been waiting a long time for an away win and they were good value for it, showing that they should give the recovering Allardyce a nice, easy ride into mid-table.
QUOTABLE
"Hopefully we've got rid of the away-form voodoo."
- McDonald works on his media savvy.
BOLTON 0 BLACKBURN 2 (Dunn 32, Ricketts og 73)
PLAYER MARKING
Bolton (4-4-2): Jaaskelainen 5; Ricketts 5, O'Brien 6, Cahill 5, Samuel 7; Taylor 7, Muamba 5, McCann 7 (Mark Davies 69, 6), Gardner 6 (Lee 69, 6); Elmander 5 (Klasnic 66, 6), Kevin Davies 7.
Subs (not used): Al Habsi, Basham, Knight, Steinsson.
Blackburn (4-4-2): Robinson 6; Chimbonda 6, Nelsen 7, Samba 6, Givet 5 (Jacobsen 35, 7); Emerton 6, Dunn 9 (Grella 85), Nzonzi 7, Diouf 6; Roberts 7, Di Santo 8 (McCarthy 71, 6).
Subs (not used): Andrews, Kalinic, Salgado, Brown.
ATTENDANCE: 21,777
NEXT UP:
- Fulham v Bolton, (Away), Premier League, 28/11, 1500 GMT
- Fulham v Blackburn (Away), Premier League, 25/11, 2000 GMT
MAN OF THE MATCH:
David Dunn (Blackburn): Always offers a calm head even in a frenetic encounter such as this. Ran the length of the field to prod in the opening goal and the calls from Blackburn fans for him to be included in the England squad are not altogether ridiculous.
