Premier League: Bolton 2 Blackburn 1

Second-half goals by Fabrice Muamba and Stuart Holden helped 10-man Bolton return to winning ways at the Reebok on Saturday.

The home side enjoyed the run of the play and created the game’s first real chance.

Martin Petrov delivered a dangerous cross from the left, but despite a busy goal area the ball eluded everyone.

Rovers created few chances in the first half, although when Jason Roberts went clear Zat Knight brought him down just outside the box.

Referee Mark Clattenburg only produced a yellow card for Knight as Gary Cahill was also tracking back.

From the free kick, Jussi Jaaskelainen could only parry Morten Gamst Pedersen’s shot towards an unmarked Gael Givet in the Bolton penalty area.

The Frenchman took an instinctive shot but failed to score.

Early in the second half, Blackburn ‘keeper Paul Robinson made a flying save off Holden’s in-swinging free kick.

Minutes later Mark Davies was sent off for using an elbow in a challenge with Phil Jones that left Bolton with only nine outfield players for the final third of the match.

Blackburn then began to press home their man advantage and Kevin Davies kept the scores level with a goal-line clearance from a Christopher Samba header.

Givet also fired another close range shot wide.

However, it was Bolton who broke the deadlock through substitute Muamba. He collected a loose ball in the box after a free kick before cutting inside Ryan Nelson and firing home a low shot.

Substitute Mame Biram Diouf looked like he had secured a point for Blackburn in the 87th minute when he equalized.

But before their fans had finished celebrating Holden had put Owen Coyle’s men back in the lead with a wonder strike on the edge of the area.