Division One leaders Sunderland bulldozed their way past promotion rivals
Bolton Wanderers to open the Premiership door a little wider.
Two goals from winger Allan Johnston and one from striker Kevin Phillips were
enough to see off Colin Todd's side, who looked to have dragged themselves back
into it when Per Frandsen made it 2-1 just after the break.
But Johnston's second six minutes later effectively ended the contest and
allowed the Wearsiders to coast home.
Sunderland appear to save their best for their closest competitors, and
fifth-placed Bolton were subjected to an early blitz in front of a capacity
crowd.
With Lee Clark running the show from central midfield and Michael Gray linking
well with Johnston down the left, it was a case of when rather than if the goals
would come, despite some solid defensive work from Mark Fish and Paul Warhurst.
A brilliant seventh-minute save from Jussi Jaaskelainen denied Clark a
stunning opener, and captain Kevin Ball had an effort ruled out for offside two
minutes later.
But the first goal duly arrived with 23 minutes gone after Niall Quinn flicked
on a long ball into the path of strike partner Phillips, who stepped inside Fish
before giving Jaaskelainen no chance from close range.
Peter Reid's side pushed home their advantage further within five minutes,
thanks to a fine individual goal from Scottish international Johnston.
The winger picked up the ball on the left and drifted past Michael Johansen
and Neil Cox before shooting home from just inside the area.
Bolton desperately needed an early reply and they got it within four minutes
of the restart when Frandsen pounced on an error by Andy Melville to shoot home
from the edge of the box.
But as one door opened another closed behind the visitors six minutes later
when Johnston deceived Jaaskelainen with a curling shot from 25 yards to make it
3-1.
Clark left the field to warm, if surprised, applause two minutes later to be
replaced by Darren Williams with the points already safely in the bag.
Quinn's neat 70th-minute control and volley needed a good save from
Jasskelainen, but the goalkeeper had to rely on the crossbar to keep out
Phillips' effort three minutes later.
Thomas Sorensen had to make his first real save of the game with a minute
remaining as substitute Eidur Gudjohnsen got through on goal - and the same
player was unfortunate to see his injury-time shot turned on to the bar by the
Dane.
Teams
Sunderland: Sorensen, Makin, Gray, Ball, Craddock, Melville,
Summerbee, Clark (Williams 57), Quinn (Dichio 72),
Phillips (Bridges 82), Johnston.
Booked: Makin, Ball, Melville.
Goals: Phillips 23, Johnston 28, 55.
Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Cox, Elliott, Frandsen, Warhurst, Fish,
Johansen (Todd 64), Jensen, Holdsworth, Taylor (Gudjohnson 74),
Sellars (Gardner 74).
Booked: Elliott, Frandsen, Todd, Taylor.
Goals: Frandsen 49.
Att: 41,505
Ref: A Wiley (Burntwood).
E-mail Article 
Print-Friendly
Subscribe to RSS Feed 
Post to del.icio.us
Facebook