Bolton Vs. Sunderland, 2011 Premier League: Trotters Lose At Home Again

Bolton Wanderers have had the excuse of a tough schedule rather explaining their terrible form so far this season, but things don't get too much softer than facing a struggling Sunderland at home and Owen Coyle's men completely failed to take advantage of their opportunity to claw their way into semi-respectability. That's not to say they were comprehensively outplayed by the visitors, because they weren't*, and they deserved better than a 2-0 loss, but realistically this team should be playing far better at the Reebok Stadium, and this result puts Coyle very much on the chopping block.

Things were fairly quiet for most of the match, with both teams' attacks struggling for fluency against staunch defences. Sunderland had the better of things, but they was hardly overwhelming, and it wasn't until very late in the second half when they finally breached Jussi Jaaskelainen's net, with Stephane Sessegnon scoring a beautiful goal after picking up a loose ball from a corner. Bolton's fightback inevitably left space for a counterattack, and on-loan striker Nicklas Bendtner secured the points for the Black Cats when he slipped a cool finish past Jaaskelainen in injury time following a quick break.