Leeds slump continues

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Leeds 0-2 Bolton

Managerless Leeds suffered more disappointment in their torrid season when they collapsed to a home defeat against Bolton.

Kevin Davies and Stelios Giannakopoulos did the damage for the visitors, striking in consecutive minutes in the first half at Elland Road.

And Leeds did little to dispel their relegation fears as they remain rooted to the bottom of the Premiership table.

Caretaker boss Eddie Gray made sweeping changes, most notably recalling Australian Mark Viduka to partner Lamine Sakho up front in the absence of the talismanic Alan Smith.

The signs looked promising early on and Bolton's defence was forced into making a couple of last-ditch tackles.

But the momentum shifted on 16 minutes, when Davies scored against the run of play.

KEY MOMENTS 16 mins: Davies pounces on a weak clearance 17 mins: Giannakopoulos' tap-in doubles the lead

A poor Michael Duberry clearance fell to Ricardo Gardner, who fed Davies, and the striker duly fired past Paul Robinson from 16 yards.

Barely a minute later, the lead doubled.

Goalscorer Davies turned provider to tee up Greek midfielder Giannakopoulos for a tap-in.

And it would have been all over five minutes later had not Robinson made a superb intervention to repel Per Frandsen.

Gray threw caution to the wind at the start of the second half, withdrawing David Batty and pushing three men up front in search of Leeds goals.

Newly-introduced Cyril Chapuis and Sakho came close as the hosts poured forward, encouraged by their nervous fans.

Bolton weathered the all-to-brief storm and had chances of their own, but the visitors owed a big debt to their goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen on 72 minutes.

Quick thinking by Robinson released youngster James Milner - one of the very few luminaries for Leeds.

His precise cross found Viduka, who headed goalwards only for Jaaskelainen to make a stunning instinctive save.

Leeds looked crushed by that near miss and proceeded to give up the three points to fellow relegation-battlers Bolton without much of a fight.

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Leeds: Robinson, Camara, Radebe, Duberry, Harte, Milner, Batty (Chapuis 45), Morris (Olembe 77), Seth Johnson (Barmby 77), Viduka, Sakho.
Subs Not Used: Carson, Domi.

Booked: Sakho.

Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Hunt, N'Gotty, Charlton, Gardner, Frandsen, Campo, Okocha, Nolan (Pedersen 74), Davies, Giannakopoulos.
Subs Not Used: Poole, Barness, Djorkaeff, Jardel.

Attendance: 36,558

Referee: G Poll (Hertfordshire).