Middlesbrough thrashed Bolton 5-1 at The Riverside Stadium, with
Stewart Downing the star performer.
The Boro winger played a part in all four of their first-half goals
as Gareth Southgate's side ran out comfortable winners.
Gary Speed was unfortunate to put through his own goal early on,
but Boro soon doubled their lead through Abel Xavier.
Mark Viduka got a fourth, but Kevin Nolan pulled one back quickly,
before Downing claimed his goal just before half-time.
El Hadji Diouf was dismissed midway through the second half and the
slightest of hopes for Bolton disappeared with the Senegalese
striker down the tunnel.
Viduka ended the scoring with his second and Boro's fifth with five
minutes remaining.
Bolton made a bright start and Nicolas Anelka spurned a good
opportunity early when he volleyed high and wide after Abdoulaye
Faye's flick-on from Ivan Campo's long throw.
Speed forced an early save out of Mark Schwarzer moments later with
a shot from the edge of the area which was sneaking into the corner
until the Australian's intervention.
But it was Boro who took the lead on six minutes, although the goal
was hugely fortuitous.
Downing's free-kick from the left was met by Xavier whose downward
header struck the foot of the post and trickled past a helpless
Jussi Jaaskelainen off Speed.
After going close, Xavier did find the back of the net four minutes
later as another great cross from Downing was headed into the top
corner by the stopper from 12 yards out.
Viduka made it three midway through the first half, but it was
again a goal created by the brilliant Downing.
Given space to cross by Nicky Hunt, the England winger played a
delightful ball with the outside of his left boot to the back post
where Viduka was waiting to tap the ball home.
Bolton hit back instantly with Nolan netting his second Premiership
goal of the campaign with a placed effort into the bottom corner
from Kevin Davies' lay-off.
Boro continued to push for more goals and Yakubu scuffed a shot
wide of goal after out-muscling Abdoulaye Meite and getting a shot
away.
The Trotters were almost gifted a way back into the game by Andrew
Taylor when his header back to Schwarzer lacked pace, giving Anelka
the chance to pounce, but the Boro goalkeeper was out quickly to
clear the danger.
Yakubu again fired wide with the goal at his mercy, but his
pressure almost brought another goal soon after.
The Nigerian striker put pressure on Jaaskelainen from Julio Arca's
deep ball over the top, and after spilling the ball into Viduka's
pass, the Finnish international did well to deny the Boro front man
a shooting opportunity.
Boro's fourth did come with two minutes remaining in the first
half, with Downing claiming the goal he fully deserved.
Downing cut in from the left-hand side and with his least-favoured
right foot, curled a super shot past Jaaskelainen's outstretched
hand from 25 yards.
Bolton should have pulled one back straight away through Davies,
but the Bolton striker blazed wide after the ball had come all the
way through to him at the back post.
After his struggles in the first half against Downing, Sam
Allardyce hauled Hunt off at half-time and replaced him with
Ricardo Gardner.
Downing continued to play a major role after the break and had a
chance to add to his tally with a well-placed free-kick, but he
could not keep his effort down.
Diouf sent in a dangerous looking ball that missed everyone and
went all the way through past the far post, and Yakubu was again
off target at the other end after being given the opening from
Viduka's flick.
Any chance Bolton had to get back in the game looked to vanish when
Diouf was shown a straight red by referee Alan Wiley for foul and
abusive language.
Anelka fired high over for the ten men of Bolton before Viduka's
second came with five minutes to go from Lee Cattermole's pull
back.
Gardner sent a drive straight at Schwarzer and Nolan's header back
across goal was out of everybody's reach.
Downing left to a standing ovation as the game moved towards its
conclusion, although there was still time for Andranik Teymourian
and Gardner to go close late on.