Bolton regain fourth spot as Newcastle run ends

Newcastle's Alan Shearer (L) challenges Bolton's Kevin Nolan during their Premier League football match at The Reebock Stadium, Bolton.

Bolton returned to fourth place in the Premier League with a 2-1 win against Newcastle that ended the vistors' unbeaten run under manager Graeme Souness.

Kevin Davies's 70th minute goal saw Bolton wrap up the points after they had taken the lead earlier in the second half through El-Hadji Diouf only for Newcastle to hit back minutes later thanks to Darren Ambrose's wonder strike.

The result left Bolton in fourth, where they started the weekend, on 21 points. Newcastle, who would have moved up into fourth had they won, were left five points back in eighth spot.

After seeing his side bounce back from their 4-3 midweek League Cup exit against Tottenham, Bolton manager Sam Allardyce said: "I'm absolutely delighted with this victory. It wasn't the prettiest but it was very effective."

Allardyce also told Sky Sports: "Our players defensively were very strong. They limited Newcastle to few chances and it needed a wonder-strike to bring them level.

"Set-pieces provide a lot of our goals and it was very pleasing to see Kevin finish off a well-worked move."

Souness meanwhile could not hide his disappointment: "We are disappointed. We defended very well apart from two occasions and we conceded two sloppy goals.

"I'm sure Jay-Jay Okocha's arms are aching from all his throw-ins. It was a scrap and they (Bolton) got the break."

In the early stages both teams created openings with Newcastle's veteran striker Alan Shearer picking out Stephen Carr only for the defender's cut-back to be blocked by Greek Euro 2004 hero Stelios Giannakopoulos.

Diouf then delivered a cross from the right that was cleared by Robbie Elliott.

But the best chance of the first half fell to Davies in the 23rd minute when Diouf split the Newcastle defence.

Newcastle's Craig Bellamy (L) vies with Bolton's Bruno N'Gotty during their Premier League football match at The Reebock Stadium, Bolton.

Former Blackburn and Southampton striker Davies drew Newcastle keeper Shay Given out of his goal only to pull his shot wide.

After the break the match sparked into life with two goals in the space of four second-half minutes.

From a long throw, Bolton's Radhi Jaidi outjumped Given and Diouf, on loan from Liverpool and about to be substituted, nodded the ball home from barely a yard out for his first goal in 18 months which ironically came for Liverpool against his new team.

The Senegalese forward then promptly collected a yellow card after referee Graham Poll booked him for removing his shirt.

Newcastle then hit back in spectacular fashion in the 55th minute. Ambrose won the ball in the midfield and, as the Bolton defence backed off, he unleashed a 30-yard strike that flew past Jussi Jaaskelainen's left hand and into the top corner.

Bolton though regained the lead 20 minutes from time when Newcastle failed to deal with a free-kick launched into their box.

Davies won the initial header before Diouf nodded on. And with Given slow off his line and going at the ball with feet rather than hands, Davies beat the Republic of Ireland international to the loose ball and slid in to ease the ball home.

Substitute Henrik Pedersen could have made the game safe for Bolton six minutes from time when, after Given had parried Okocha's strike, he blasted the rebound over the crossbar.

Newcastle remainded dangerous and it needed a fine one-handed save by Jaaskelainen, diving low to his left, in the 87th minute to keep out Laurent Robert's shot.