Blackburn Rovers

Sam Allardyce can prepare for his minor heart operation in good cheer. Allardyce was prevented from returning to his old Bolton stamping ground because of an impending angioplasty, but in his absence Blackburn Rovers did him proud, deservedly winning this Lancashire derby with a first-half goal from the irrepressible David Dunn and one of the most comical own goals of the season after half-time by the Bolton Wanderers defender Sam Ricketts.

Bolton, losing for the fourth successive match and still without a clean sheet this season, remain in the bottom three, the most vulnerable of Lancashire's quartet of Premier League teams.

Dunn almost put Rovers ahead midway through the first half when he overpowered Gary Cahill with the help of a gentle nudge, and headed over Bolton's goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen, but Cahill stayed on his feet and recovered to hook the ball away from the line.

Dunn was not denied for long. Blackburn broke quickly down the left, Jason Roberts laid the ball back and Dunn's deft finish? a chip to the far post that Jaaskelainen got a hand to but could not divert? brought chants from Rovers fans of "Dunny for England".

Seconds earlier, Bolton might have gone ahead. Matt Taylor scuffed his low free-kick, but it avoided the wall and a huge deflection off Ryan Nelsen's outstretched leg sent it flailing high against the far post.

Bolton's likeliest moments came from Taylor's right-wing crosses, including a free-kick from wide out which Paul Robinson had to tip over. But Taylor missed a gaping opportunity to level from the resulting corner, in first-half stoppage time, when he headed wide at the near post from three yards out.

Dunn, a perpetual threat, might have set up a Rovers second early in the second half when his deflected cross was headed clear by Gavin McCann, El Hadji Diouf volleyed back and McCann's bald pate was put to better use with a clearance off the line.

Bolton's fate was sealed 17 minutes from time. Brett Emerton's floated cross carried no danger as Jaaskelainen came for a routine collection, but Ricketts never heard a call and popped a gentle header into an unguarded net.

This is not a news report and may contain views expressed by the author which are not supported by GNM.

Sam Allardyce can prepare for his minor heart operation in good cheer. Allardyce was prevented from returning to his old Bolton stamping ground because of an impending angioplasty, but in his absence Blackburn Rovers did him proud, deservedly winning this Lancashire derby with a first-half goal from the irrepressible David Dunn and one of the most comical own goals of the season after half-time by the Bolton Wanderers defender Sam Ricketts.

Bolton, losing for the fourth successive match and still without a clean sheet this season, remain in the bottom three, the most vulnerable of Lancashire's quartet of Premier League teams.

Dunn almost put Rovers ahead midway through the first half when he overpowered Gary Cahill with the help of a gentle nudge, and headed over Bolton's goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen, but Cahill stayed on his feet and recovered to hook the ball away from the line.

Dunn was not denied for long. Blackburn broke quickly down the left, Jason Roberts laid the ball back and Dunn's deft finish? a chip to the far post that Jaaskelainen got a hand to but could not divert? brought chants from Rovers fans of "Dunny for England".

Seconds earlier, Bolton might have gone ahead. Matt Taylor scuffed his low free-kick, but it avoided the wall and a huge deflection off Ryan Nelsen's outstretched leg sent it flailing high against the far post.

Bolton's likeliest moments came from Taylor's right-wing crosses, including a free-kick from wide out which Paul Robinson had to tip over. But Taylor missed a gaping opportunity to level from the resulting corner, in first-half stoppage time, when he headed wide at the near post from three yards out.

Dunn, a perpetual threat, might have set up a Rovers second early in the second half when his deflected cross was headed clear by Gavin McCann, El Hadji Diouf volleyed back and McCann's bald pate was put to better use with a clearance off the line.

Bolton's fate was sealed 17 minutes from time. Brett Emerton's floated cross carried no danger as Jaaskelainen came for a routine collection, but Ricketts never heard a call and popped a gentle header into an unguarded net.

This is not a news report and may contain views expressed by the author which are not supported by GNM.