Bolton keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen is unable to stop Matthew Etherington's opener
By Chris Bevan
BBC Sport at Wembley
Three first-half goals helped Stoke City demolish Bolton Wanderers and reach the FA Cup final for the first time in their history.
Aided by some woeful Bolton defending, Matthew Etherington, Robert Huth and Kenwyne Jones scored in the first half-hour and two goals by Jon Walters after the break completed the victory.
Stoke, roared on by their vociferous fans, can look forward to returning to Wembley to face Manchester City in the final on 14 May.
Their other reward is a possible place in the Europa League, either through winning the FA Cup or if City secure fourth place in the league and enter the Champions League - which will mean
the Cup runners-up gain the European spot.
For Wanderers, however, the occasion was a massive anti-climax as their hopes of reaching a first final since 1958 in tribute to the late Nat Lofthouse were quickly left in ruins.
Bolton were given an ominous warning in the opening minutes when they were caught napping by a quickly taken Stoke free-kick that enabled Walters to escape down the left before being denied by Jussi Jaaskelainen.
Bolton did manage a couple of efforts at the other end, with Gary Cahill blasting over from a corner and Johan Elmander failing to test Thomas Sorensen with a low shot from distance.
But their big day began to disintegrate from the moment a misplaced pass by Paul Robinson found Etherington on the edge of the area and the winger composed himself before lashing a fierce shot into the corner of the net.
Things quickly got worse for Bolton and, again, their defending was at fault. Cahill got no distance on his header as he tried to clear a cross and Huth met the bouncing ball with a first-time shot that flew past Jaaskelainen's despairing dive.
In the absence of the cup-tied striker Daniel Sturridge, Bolton's only game-plan appeared to be lumping the ball towards Kevin Davies' head, a tactic that failed to create any openings. On the half-hour mark Stoke compounded their misery with a third goal. Jermaine Pennant stole the ball from Martin Petrov and made for goal, before slipping a pass through to Jones that Cahill failed to intercept, leaving the Stoke striker with an easy task to slot home.
With Bolton so poor going forward and generous in defence, the game already seemed up and to the evident frustration of their manager Owen Coyle, a comeback never looked on the cards.
His response to a dismal first 45 minutes was a double change at half-time, replacing the anonymous Ivan Klasnic and the ineffective Martin Petrov with Matt Taylor and Mark Davies.
Mark Davies in particular tried to get his side going but clear-cut chances for Wanderers remained elusive, while Stoke continued to threaten with their enterprising attacking play.
Notably, none of the Potters' goals came from their trademark set-pieces.
Jaaskelainen kept out a Jones header and needed Robinson to block a thunderous shot from the Trinidadian after making a hash of Etherington's chipped cross.
The Bolton keeper also stopped an angled Walters effort when his defence again went missing but the Stoke forward was not to be denied a goal, making it 4-0 on 68 minutes with a rasping low shot after a fine solo run.
Stoke were not quite finished yet, with Walters getting on the end of a deflected Jones cross nine minutes from the end to notch his second of the game and put the seal on an impressive display.
90:00+3:10 The final whistle is blown by the referee.
90:00+1:52 Outswinging corner taken by Glenn Whelan, Robert Huth takes a shot. Save made by Jussi Jaaskelainen.
90:00+1:02 Ricardo Fuller takes a shot. Blocked by Gary Cahill. Short corner worked by Glenn Whelan.
89:34 The referee blows for offside. Free kick taken by Jussi Jaaskelainen.
86:45 Outswinging corner taken by Glenn Whelan.
86:45 Substitution Matthew Etherington leaves the field to be replaced by Danny Pugh.
85:51 Matthew Etherington crosses the ball from the free kick left-footed from left wing, Zat Knight manages to make a clearance.
85:51 Booking The referee books Gary Cahill for unsporting behaviour.
85:43 Gary Cahill gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Ricardo Fuller.
83:43 Corner taken by Matthew Taylor from the left by-line, Kevin Davies concedes a free kick for a foul on Ryan Shawcross. Thomas
Sorensen takes the free kick.
83:43 Substitution Ricardo Fuller comes on in place of Kenwyne Jones.
80:42 The assist for the goal came from Andy Wilkinson.
80:42 GOAL - Jonathan Walters:Bolton 0 - 5 Stoke A goal is scored by Jonathan Walters from inside the six-yard box low into the middle of the goal. Bolton 0-5 Stoke.
79:35 Unfair challenge on Johan Elmander by Jonathan Walters results in a free kick. Johan Elmander takes the free kick.
78:35 Inswinging corner taken by Matthew Etherington.
77:29 Jussi Jaaskelainen takes the free kick.
77:29 Substitution Dean Whitehead joins the action as a substitute, replacing Jermaine Pennant.
77:29 Jermaine Pennant concedes a free kick for a foul on Matthew Taylor.
74:44 Direct free kick taken by Glenn Whelan.
74:44 Booking Paul Robinson receives a caution.
73:54 Jermaine Pennant fouled by Paul Robinson, the ref awards a free kick.
72:20 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Ryan Shawcross by Kevin Davies. Free kick taken by Thomas Sorensen.
72:20 Substitution Rodrigo Moreno on for Fabrice Muamba.
71:26 Inswinging corner taken by Matthew Taylor from the right by-line played to the near post, Glenn Whelan manages to make a clearance.
Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Matthew Taylor from the right by-line, clearance by Kenwyne Jones.
70:06 Free kick awarded for a foul by Robert Huth on Johan Elmander. Shot on goal comes in from Matthew Taylor from the free kick,
Kenwyne Jones gets a block in. Shot from 12 yards from Matthew Taylor. Save by Thomas Sorensen.
69:08 Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Matthew Taylor, save made by Thomas Sorensen.
67:29 Assist on the goal came from Glenn Whelan.
67:29 GOAL - Jonathan Walters:Bolton 0 - 4 Stoke Jonathan Walters grabs a goal from long range to the bottom right corner of the goal. Bolton 0-4 Stoke.
66:40 Unfair challenge on Jermaine Pennant by Mark Davies results in a free kick. Marc Wilson restarts play with the free kick.
63:37 Free kick awarded for a foul by Chung-Yong Lee on Matthew Etherington. Free kick crossed right-footed by Jermaine Pennant.
Jonathan Walters takes a shot. Jussi Jaaskelainen makes a save. Kenwyne Jones has an effort at goal from close range which
goes wide right of the goal.
61:26 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Paul Robinson by Marc Wilson. Jussi Jaaskelainen restarts play with the free
kick. Corner taken left-footed by Matthew Taylor, Header from close range by Gretar Rafn Steinsson misses to the right of
the target.
61:08 Kenwyne Jones takes a shot. Blocked by Zat Knight.
58:28 Outswinging corner taken by Matthew Etherington from the left by-line played to the near post, Kevin Davies manages to make
a clearance. Kenwyne Jones takes a shot. Save by Jussi Jaaskelainen.
57:00 Foul by Matthew Etherington on Chung-Yong Lee, free kick awarded. Jussi Jaaskelainen takes the free kick. Free kick awarded
for an unfair challenge on Kenwyne Jones by Gary Cahill. Direct free kick taken by Marc Wilson.
54:35 Shot from just outside the box by Mark Davies misses to the right of the target.
52:50 Free kick awarded for a foul by Johan Elmander on Ryan Shawcross. Thomas Sorensen takes the free kick.
51:51 Rory Delap fouled by Chung-Yong Lee, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Marc Wilson.
49:11 Handball decision goes against Fabrice Muamba. Thomas Sorensen restarts play with the free kick.
45:01 The referee starts the second half.
45:01 Substitution Ivan Klasnic goes off and Matthew Taylor comes on.
45:01 Substitution (Bolton) makes a substitution, with Mark Davies coming on for Martin Petrov.
Half Time
45:00+1:31 The first half comes to an end.
44:05 Andy Wilkinson gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Martin Petrov. Free kick taken by Jussi Jaaskelainen.
41:51 Free kick awarded for a foul by Kevin Davies on Marc Wilson. Marc Wilson takes the direct free kick.
40:38 Ivan Klasnic gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Glenn Whelan. Marc Wilson takes the free kick.
34:10 Paul Robinson challenges Ryan Shawcross unfairly and gives away a free kick. Thomas Sorensen takes the direct free kick.
32:23 Shot from 30 yards from Johan Elmander. Save made by Thomas Sorensen. Kenwyne Jones has an effort at goal from deep inside
the area missing to the left of the goal.
31:27 Free kick awarded for a foul by Rory Delap on Ivan Klasnic. Direct free kick taken by Ivan Klasnic.
29:32 Assist by Jermaine Pennant.
29:32 GOAL - Kenwyne Jones:Bolton 0 - 3 Stoke Kenwyne Jones gets on the score sheet with a goal from inside the area to the bottom right corner of the goal. Bolton 0-3
Stoke.
27:28 Chung-Yong Lee takes the outswinging corner, clearance made by Jonathan Walters.
25:26 Gary Cahill fouled by Kenwyne Jones, the ref awards a free kick. Jussi Jaaskelainen restarts play with the free kick.
25:02 Ivan Klasnic takes a shot. Thomas Sorensen makes a comfortable save.
24:17 Chung-Yong Lee takes a short corner.
23:29 Fabrice Muamba fouled by Robert Huth, the ref awards a free kick. Martin Petrov delivers the ball from the free kick left-footed
from left channel, clearance by Kenwyne Jones.
22:21 Foul by Kevin Davies on Robert Huth, free kick awarded. Thomas Sorensen takes the direct free kick.
16:40 GOAL - Robert Huth:Bolton 0 - 2 Stoke Robert Huth finds the back of the net with a goal from outside the area to the bottom right corner of the goal. Bolton 0-2
Stoke.
10:42 GOAL - Matthew Etherington:Bolton 0 - 1 Stoke Matthew Etherington gets on the score sheet with a goal from just outside the box to the bottom right corner of the goal.
Bolton 0-1 Stoke.
9:31 Effort on goal by Kenwyne Jones from just outside the area goes harmlessly over the target.
9:00 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Glenn Whelan by Johan Elmander. Thomas Sorensen takes the direct free kick.
8:18 Johan Elmander takes a shot. Thomas Sorensen makes a comfortable save.
7:19 Unfair challenge on Johan Elmander by Robert Huth results in a free kick. Martin Petrov crosses the ball from the free kick
left-footed from right channel, Marc Wilson makes a clearance.
6:18 Gary Cahill takes a shot from just outside the penalty area clears the crossbar.
5:15 Corner taken by Martin Petrov, clearance by Robert Huth. Martin Petrov takes a outswinging corner from the left by-line to
the near post, clearance by Glenn Whelan.
4:42 Unfair challenge on Chung-Yong Lee by Marc Wilson results in a free kick. Free kick taken by Gretar Rafn Steinsson.
2:29 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Kenwyne Jones by Fabrice Muamba. Matthew Etherington takes the free kick. Corner
taken left-footed by Matthew Etherington from the left by-line to the near post, Fabrice Muamba manages to make a clearance.
1:33 Kenwyne Jones fouled by Zat Knight, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick crossed right-footed by Jermaine Pennant, clearance
made by Gretar Rafn Steinsson.
0:00 The ref blows the whistle to begin the match.
Live text and data provided by The Press Association.
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