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First away points for Bolton Wanderers

United’s recent renaissance continues with win over Blackburn

— Photo: AFP

GOOD STRIKE: Carlton Cole spectacularly heads in West Ham’s lone goal past Bolton Wanderers’ ‘keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen. Bolton posted a 3-1 win in their Premiership match on Sunday.

LONDON: Gianfranco Zola suffered his first Premier League defeat as manager of West Ham United on Sunday when Bolton Wanderers won 3-1 at Upton Park.

Goalkeeper Robert Green was at fault twice in the first half as Bolton built a 2-0 lead. He dropped a routine high ball at the feet of Kevin Davies after 30 minutes and less than five minutes later failed to hold a skidding shot from Gretar Steinsson and Gary Cahill pounced on the rebound.

Carlton Cole headed West Ham back into contention with 22 minutes remaining but Bolton made sure of its first away points of the season when Matthew Taylor beat Green with a swerving free kick.

West Ham, which could have gone temporarily top of the table with victory, remains on 12 points from seven games. Bolton moved away from the bottom three to seven points.

Meanwhile on Saturday, Wes Brown headed the third league goal of his career in controversial fashion as Manchester United’s recent renaissance continued with a 2-0 win over Blackburn at Ewood Park.

Wayne Rooney also scored with a brilliant trademark finish, ably demonstrating that he is fit and ready to play for England in its forthcoming World Cup qualifying games.

But, for the second consecutive weekend, United’s win was marred by controversy, as, also for a second week running, was referee Steve Bennett.

Rovers goalkeeper Jason Brown appeared to be elbowed out of the way of Rooney’s 31st-minute far-post cross by defender Nemanja Vidic, the ball striking the head of defender Brown for the opening goal, only his third in more than 200 United league games.

Bennett, a late replacement for the injured Alan Wiley, was widely criticised for awarding a controversial penalty to Wigan after a foul by Manchester City’s Javier Garrido on Wilson Palacios last Sunday.

Good fortune

Meanwhile, United enjoyed refereeing good fortune of its own last weekend as Rob Styles awarded an inexplicable penalty to Cristiano Ronaldo against Bolton, a decision for which he later apologised.

But, despite the poor officiating, United was still deserving of all three points against a Blackburn team managed by former Old Trafford favourite Paul Ince.

“We had a difficult start to the season, four hard away games out of the way, and we’re still in a decent position, so we’ve got to take confidence from those games,” Man of the Match Rooney told Setanta Television.

Dimitar Berbatov’s 20th minute pass found Darren Fletcher and the Scotland midfielder should have done better than roll his shot just wide of the goal.

Prolonged dominance

That was the start of a period of prolonged United dominance which saw a Martin Olsson mistake lead to a fierce Ryan Giggs strike just before the half-an-hour mark which goalkeeper Brown kept out with a superb reflex block.

Moments later, United was in front and, four minutes after the disputed opener, Berbatov’s pass caught out the Rovers back line and put through Rooney who attempted to round Brown only to be denied by another smart piece of goalkeeping.

The second half began with Roque Santa Cruz’s near post shot being parried behind by goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar, but Blackburn’s danger man was forced out of the action in the 49th minute with an injury.

Ronaldo might have put the contest beyond doubt just before the hour when Berbatov’s break ended with a pass to the Portugal winger for an inaccurate shot from the edge of the penalty area.

When United did finally score a deserved second goal, there was none of the good fortune associated with its first, simply superb football.

Brown played a ball for Ronaldo inside left-back Olsson and the speedy winger accelerated before picking out Rooney whose magnificent finish gave Brown no chance in the Blackburn goal.

Twice, inside a minute, United might have further extended the lead with Rooney showing superb chest control before lobbing a shot onto the roof of the net and Brown saving well, again, this time at the feet of Berbatov.

Anderson, with a deflected shot well saved by the impressive Brown, Ronaldo, with yet another off-target shot, and substitute Carlos Tevez, who struck a post, all threatened as their team coasted towards its fourth league and cup victory in 12 days.

The results:

Sunday: West Ham United 1 (Carlton Cole 68) lost to Bolton Wanderers 3 (Kevin Davies 30, Gary Cahill 34, Matthew Taylor 86). Saturday: Blackburn Rovers 0 lost to Manchester United 2 (Wes Brown 31, Wayne Rooney 64). — Agencies

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