Bolton 0-1 Blackburn

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Paul Dickov's stunning 20-yard volley condemned Bolton to a sixth consecutive league defeat in an entertaining derby.

Wanderers keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen had already blocked Jay Bothroyd's shot in the opening seconds before Dickov turned and spectacularly fired home.

Jon Stead, on for the injured Bothroyd, nodded against the bar for Rovers while Brad Friedel saved Henrik Pedersen's header as Bolton came into the game.

Kevin Davies wasted Wanderers' best chance to level when he blasted over.

Bolton boss Sam Allardyce made five changes to the side beaten 2-0 by Manchester United on Boxing Day with Bruno N'Gotty, Ricardo Gardner, Jay-Jay Okocha, Stelios Giannakopoulos and Henrik Pedersen all back in the side.

Blackburn striker Bothroyd was preferred to Jon Stead as boss Mark Hughes made only one change.

And Bothroyd almost repaid that faith inside the opening minute, but Jaaskelainen blocked his shot from an acute angle after the frontman had outmuscled Ricardo Gardner. But the visitors were rewarded for their early pressure when Dickov volleyed them ahead from the edge of the box in the sixth minute.

The Scot turned and fired home in one movement after Reid had chested the ball into his path.

Maybe Hughes is a good tactician and was ready for Bolton's style of play From Andy Have your say on 606

Barry Ferguson had an opportunity to double the lead minutes later after Jaaskelainen's scuffed clearance went straight to the midfielder, but with the goal gaping, Ferguson mysteriously tried to clip a pass to Bothroyd who was ruled offside.

Following a nervy start, Bolton finally began to exert some pressure, but although their best chance of the half fell to top scorer Pedersen, he flashed his volley wide.

Stead came close to extending Rovers advantage - the former Huddersfield striker must have thought he had scored his first of the season after outjumping the home defence to meet Ferguson's right-wing cross.

However, the striker looked on in disbelief as the ball looped over Jaaskelainen and came back off the crossbar.

Rovers keeper Friedel then denied Pedersen whose glancing header from El-Hadj Diouf's long pass looked destined to find the bottom corner.

A half-time hailstorm abated as the second period began with Bolton pressing forward.

But they had to resort to long-range efforts as the Rovers defence held firm.

Davies blasted well over from 20 yards before Jay-Jay Okocha screwed a shot wide from a similar distance.

Andy Todd and Nils-Eric Johansson continued to repel Bolton attacks as Rovers sat back and soaked up the pressure.

With time running out, Bolton almost scored a dramatic equaliser, but Davies glanced his header wide.

And Reid wasted a glorious opportunity to put Rovers 2-0 up in the final minute, as he side-footed wide from 12 yards after Stead had put him clean through.

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Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Hunt, N'Gotty, Jaidi, Gardner, Okocha, Speed (Hierro 72), Giannakopoulos (Ferdinand 76), Pedersen (Vaz Te 52), Davies, Diouf.
Subs Not Used: Poole, Barness.

Booked: Vaz Te, Jaidi.

Blackburn: Friedel, Neill, Todd, Johansson, Matteo, Reid, Flitcroft, Ferguson, Emerton, Dickov, Bothroyd (Stead 25).
Subs Not Used: Enckelman, Gallagher, Thompson, McEveley.

Booked: Ferguson, Flitcroft.

Goals: Dickov 6.

Att: 27,038

Ref: R Styles (Hampshire).