Queens Park Rangers 0-4 Bolton Wanderers
Posted: Saturday 13th August 2011
Tags: Match Reports, Premier League, Bolton Wanderers, Queens Park Rangers, Fabrice Muamba, Gary Cahill, Ivan Klasnic
Bolton began the season in style as they ran out comfortable 4-0 winners over Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road.
Gary Cahill gave Wanderers the lead with a superb curling effort in first half stoppage time, before an own goal from Danny Gabbidon, followed by strikes from Ivan Klasnic and Fabrice Muamba sealed the victory.
The hosts had Clint Hill sent off in the final minute after shoving his head into the body of Martin Petrov, completing a miserable day for the last season's Championship winners.
QPR attacked from the first whistle and had the ball in the net after just 60 seconds, but their joy was shortlived as DJ Campbell's strike was ruled out for offside.
Two minutes later, Kieron Dyer went down inside his own penalty area after taking a tumble whilst under pressure from Petrov. The former England international was stretchered off the field and is rumoured to have suffered a broken metatarsal.
Moments after seeing a dipping volley fly narrowly over Paddy Kenny's crossbar, Gretar Steinsson was back in his own box, heading a goalbound shot from Jay Bothroyd over the crossbar.
Tommy Smith dragged a shot wide, before forcing Jussi Jaaskelainen into a low stop as the hosts maintained their search for the opening goal.
Wanderers fought back though and Kevin Davies had a goalbound shot blocked by Hill, before Petrov twice sent shots into the stands after being picked out on the left flank.
Then, in first half stoppage time, Eagles picked up possession from a Steinsson throw-in and picked out Cahill on the edge of the box, who fired an unstoppable curling effort into the top corner of Kenny's goal.
Bothroyd headed wide from a corner at the other end deep into stoppage time, with Wanderers taking their one-goal advantage into the break.
Less than a minute after the restart, Klasnic forced Kenny into a superb save low to his left, before Davies headed straight at the QPR goalkeeper from a Petrov free-kick.
Star-man Adel Taarabt came close to equalising when his curling strike flew inches wide of Jaaskelainen's left upright, before Wanderers sealed the points with three goals in 12 minutes.
First, Eagles' free-kick from the edge of the area took a deflection and was diverted into his own net by Gabbidon on 67 minutes.
Then, just three minutes later, Steinsson's long-throw was flicked on by Kevin Davies and Klasnic's shot on the turn was deflected past Kenny by the unfortunate Orr.
And as if 3-0 wasn't enough punishment for the hosts, Klasnic was in on the action again 11 minutes from time, feeding an inch-perfect ball to Muamba who shot first time into the bottom corner of Kenny's goal.
With Kenny way out of his goal, Petrov saw a speculative long-range strike float just over the crossbar, before a day to forget for the hosts got worse as Hill was shown a straight red card in stoppage time for an apparent head-butt on Petrov.
The result puts Bolton on top of the Premier League table and they return to action next Sunday when Manchester City are the visitors to the Reebok Stadium.
Queens Park Rangers: Kenny, Dyer (Orr 7), Hall, Gabbidon, Hill, Smith (Helguson 72), Derry, Faurlin, Taarabt (Buzsaky 72), Campbell, Bothroyd
Subs Not Used: Murphy, Connolly, Agyemang, Ephraim
Booked: Hill
Sent Off: Hill
Bolton Wanderers: Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Cahill, Knight, Robinson, Eagles (M Davies 81), Muamba, Reo-Coker (Pratley 82), Petrov, K Davies, Klasnic (Blake 86)
Subs Not Used: Bogdan, Alonso, Gardner, Wheater
Booked: Reo-Coker, Cahill
Goals: Cahill 45, Gabbidon 67(og), Klasnic 70, Muamba 79
Referee: Martin Atkinson
Attendance: 15,195
