Bolton were left in search for their first win of the Championship season after being well beaten by an impressive Blackburn display at Ewood Park.
Wanderers looked to be off to a great start when Ngog managed to slip the ball into Jermaine Beckford behind the Blackburn defence but the resulting shot was tame and easily gathered by Jake Kean and it wasn’t long before Bolton were made to pay.
David Dunn gave the home side the lead with a neat piece of skill in the 18 yard box in the 27th minute. A minute later, it was 2-0 after another nice bit of play from Dunn, releasing Jordan Rhodes who comfortably slotted the ball past Bolton ‘keeper, Adam Bogdan.
Rovers nearly took a 3-0 lead when debutant Ben Marshall’s effort was brilliantly tipped on to the upright by Bogdan, who made another crucial save from a powerful Rhodes strike minutes later. The visitors however, managed to get back in the game with a goal right before half time from unlikely candidate, Alex Baptiste, with a strong finish deep inside the area.
After the break, Bolton again started the half strongest when Ngog had a shot cleared off the line by 19 year old Chelsea loanee, Todd Kane. Soon after, Jay Spearing came agonisingly close with a strike from 20 yards but Bolton were again punished for not taking their chances when Corry Evans caught a loose ball with a sweet volley that wrong footed Bogdan after taking a deflection off one of Bolton’s defenders.
Rovers finished off any hope of a Wanderers comeback when Jordan Rhodes was given an easy tap in from Todd Kane making it 4-1 at full time and leaving Dougie Freedman’s side bottom of the Championship in search of their first win.
Elsewhere in Lancashire, Championship new boys, Wigan, hosted unbeaten Nottingham Forest at the DW Stadium.
Andy Reid gave Forest the early lead with a classy free-kick from over 20 yards out, his third goal in as many games. Shortly after however, Marc-Antoine Fortuné was brought down in the Forest box by Jack Hobbs leaving Shaun Maloney to equalise from the penalty spot. Neither side created too many clear cut chances but Wigan were the ones who left victorious after Jordi Gomez was in the right place at the right time when Fortuné’s effort came off the bar. Despite the defeat, Billy Davies’ side are still sitting pretty in fourth position.
Blackpool took the top spot with a narrow victory over promotion favourites Watford.
Gianfranco Zola’s team were rightfully awarded an early penalty when Neal Bishop clattered into Almen Abdi unfairly. Troy Deeney stepped up but couldn’t convert due to an in form Matt Gilks. Watford were unlucky in hitting the woodwork twice in the game but couldn’t find that important goal. Blackpool came to life in the second half and it could only be Tom Ince to secure his father’s team the three points with an incredible solo effort late in the game, which will undoubtedly leave Zola baffled at how his team weren’t able to at least take a point back to Vicarage Road.
Results:
Barnsley 2 – 1 Huddersfield Town
Birmingham City 1 – 1 Ipswich Town
Blackburn Rovers 4 – 1 Bolton Wanderers
Blackpool 1 – 0 Watford
Brighton & Hove Albion 1 – 1 Millwall
Charlton Athletic 2 – 1 Leicester City
Derby County 0 – 3 Burnley
Doncaster Rovers 0 – 1 AFC Bournemouth
Leeds United 0 – 1 Queens Park Rangers
Middlesbrough 1 – 1 Sheffield Wednesday
Wigan Athletic 2 – 1 Nottingham Forest
Yeovil Town 0 – 1 Reading