Roberts strike stuns Bolton

Bolton began the most testing period of their Premier League season so far with a crushing 2-1 defeat at home to Lancashire rivals Blackburn.

With Nicolas Anelka just a fond memory and El-Hadji Diouf away on African Nations Cup duty with Senegal, Gary Megson's side have a gaping hole in the firepower department and that was evident at the Reebok Stadium on Sunday, despite captain Kevin Nolan's impressive first-half opener.

Christopher Samba headed an equaliser within 10 minutes of the break before Jason Roberts powered forward to hit a 90th-minute winner in front of a crowd of 18,315.

After a scrappy start David Bentley almost put Blackburn ahead in the 17th minute with a fine free-kick that just curled over the bar.

However, Bolton made the breakthrough after 43 minutes with a spectacular effort from Nolan.

The skipper hooked the ball over his shoulder from an acute angle following a crossfield ball from Joey O'Brien for his fourth goal of the season.

But Blackburn drew level in the 53rd minute when Samba got on the end of David Bentley's corner to head home at the back post. Jussi Jaaskelainen was left disappointed after changing his mind about coming for Bentley's delivery.

Rovers were looking to seal all three points and Roberts replaced the ineffective Benni McCarthy up front in the 77th minute.

Bentley almost put them ahead in the 83rd minute but Jaaskelainen managed to get a hand to his free-kick at the last minute.

But Roberts sealed victory for Blackburn on the stroke of full-time when he raced on to a flick from Roque Santa Cruz and saw his effort take a slight deflection off O'Brien.