El Hadji Diouf scored two goals in three minutes on Sunday to help Bolton come from behind and beat Newcastle 2-1 in the English Premier League.
Shola Ameobi’s penalty gave the Magpies a 19th-minute lead at St James’s Park, but the Senegal striker punished two lapses in the Newcastle defence with goals in the 55th and 57th minutes.
Bolton moved into third place with 17 points, within two points of both Manchester United and Chelsea.
”It gives us great satisfaction to go away from home and come from a goal behind. The players deserve the credit for turning it around,” Bolton manager Sam Allardyce said. ”[Third place] says a lot to people looking at the Premiership, and a 2-1 win is a big statement after going behind.”
Ameobi scored his penalty after Abdoulaye Faye blocked a cross from Obafemi Martins with his arm.
Newcastle missed a chance to make it 2-0 in the 39th when Ameobi headed a cross from Damien Duff in front of goal, but Peter Ramage, arriving totally unmarked, shot high and wide from 8m out.
In the 55th, Nicolas Anelka got around the back of the Newcastle defence on the left and crossed low for Diouf to sidefoot the ball home.
Two minutes later, Bolton struck again when Kevin Davies jumped to head on a free kick and Diouf was left unmarked in front of goal to head past goalkeeper Steve Harper from 6m.
”The manner of the defeat greatly concerns me and was typical of the year we have had,” Newcastle manager Glenn Roeder said. ”We keep shooting ourselves in the foot and it has to stop.
”It was unacceptable defending and the only thing we can do is get back on the training and work hard on those situations.” On Saturday, Chelsea beat Reading 1-0 but lost both their goalkeepers to injury.
Petr Cech needed surgery to repair a depressed skull fracture after being hit by the knee of Reading midfielder Stephen Hunt in the opening minute of the match.
Cech’s replacement, Carlo Cudicini, also was taken to the hospital after he was injured in a collision with Reading defender Ibrahima Sonko while jumping to catch the ball in the 89th minute.
He was released Saturday night.
Also on Saturday, it was: Wigan 1, Manchester United 3; Arsenal 3, Watford 0; Aston Villa 1, Tottenham 1; Liverpool 1, Blackburn 1; Manchester City 0, Sheffield United 0; Middlesbrough 2, Everton 1; and Portsmouth 2, West Ham 0. — Sapa-AP