Veteran striker Bob Taylor put Bolton's Premiership bandwagon back on track after a run of five games without a win.

Taylor bagged two as Wanderers won for the first time in a month to plunge QPR deep into relegation trouble.

Rangers are hovering ominously around the drop zone after slipping to 11th away defeat of a sorry season.

But they only had themselves to blame because twice in the space of a minute midway through the first half they spurned golden chances.

First Tim Breacker broke clear of a static Bolton defence only to see a weak shot easily saved by Jussi Jaaskelainen.

Bolton were still rocking from the let-off when Kevin Gallen galloped away after slip by Paul Warhurst. But Gallen's finish was woeful the ball disappearing high into the stand.

Rangers were made to pay almost immediately as, on the half-hour mark, Taylor dived bravely to meet a cross from his skipper Scott Sellars and direct a firm header beyond Ludek Miklosko.

Bolton were suddenly alive and Taylor twice went close to adding to his goal, an effort cleared off the line by Paul Murray and a shot disappearing inches wide.

Bolton took command on 58 minutes with a goal of stunning quality.

Claus Jensen, the game's outstanding performer, played a superb reverse pass which Taylor fired home in clinical fashion.

Rangers were offered a way back via a penalty 20 minutes from time.

Substitute Chris Kiwomya was fouled by Mike Whitlow and another of the Rangers' subs Keith Rowland made no mistake.

Inspired, Rangers put late pressure on the Bolton defence but Wanderers held firm to keep alive their promotion hopes.

Teams:

Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Cox, Whitlow (Todd 81), Frandsen, Warhurst, Fish, Johansen, Jensen, Holdsworth (Gudjohnson 67), Taylor, Sellars.

Subs Not Used: Gardner.

Goals: Taylor 30, 58.

QPR: Miklosko, Breacker, Baraclough, Rose, Ready, Plummer (Rowland 45), Langley, Murray, Steiner (Dowie 88), Gallen, Jeanne (Kiwomya 67).

Booked: Plummer.

Goals: Rowland 69 pen.

Att: 17,919

Ref: M Jones (Chester).