Allardyce heaps more misery on former club Bolton

Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce pushed former club Bolton further into the relegation mire as his side secured a 3-0 win over Wanderers at Ewood Park on Sunday.

Rovers boss Allardyce spent eight years in charge of Bolton before leaving to join Newcastle in 2007, but his players showed no mercy to his struggling ex-employers as goals from Nikola Kalinic, Jason Roberts and Gael Givet left Owen Coyle’s team stuck in the relegation zone.

While Blackburn are comfortably in mid-table, Bolton are third bottom of the Premier League and one point from safety after winning just once in the eight league matches since Coyle took over from Gary Megson.

Despite snow flurries around the Blackburn area early on Sunday, the fixture was given the go-ahead and it was the hosts who made the more dynamic start.

Morten Gamst Pedersen had the ball in the net as his long throw sailed past Bolton goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen, but the ball hadn’t touched another player so the ‘goal’ was ruled out.

Rovers midfielder Keith Andrews threatened when he glanced a corner goalwards but Fabrice Muamba cleared his header off the line before also diverting Kalinic’s overhead kick onto the post.

Blackburn captain Ryan Nelsen was forced to come off after a collision with Ricardo Gardner but even their skipper’s departure didn’t unsettle Rovers, with Pedersen curling a free-kick just over.

Rovers keeper Paul Robinson was called into action for the first time to keep out Matt Taylor’s drive, but Allardyce’s team went in front in the 41st minute.

Senegal star El Hadji Diouf passed to Pedersen and the winger set up Kalinic to shoot past Jaaskelainen for just his second league goal of the season.

Heavier snow fell as the second half began, making visibility a problem for fans in the stands. But down on the pitch, Rovers were back on top as Jaaskelainen managed to push out David Hoilett’s diving header from Pedersen’s cross.

Bolton’s South Korean midfielder Lee Chung-Yong led his side’s response with a powerful effort that drew a superb save from Paul Robinson.

Wanderers boss Owen Coyle sent on Vladimir Weiss and Mark Davies in a bid to spark his side into life, but it was a Rovers replacement who added a second goal in the 73rd minute.

Roberts had come on for Hoilett on the hour and the powerful forward delivered the knockout blow in the 73rd minute.

Steven Nzonzi’s header forced Jaaskelainen into a superb stop but, from the resulting Pedersen corner, Givet diverted the ball towards Roberts and his shot was just strong enough to beat Jaaskelainen’s attempted save.

Rovers rubbed salt into Bolton’s wounds in the 84th minute when Diouf’s free-kick was headed in by Givet for the French defender’s first goal at Ewood Park.