PHOTOS: Bolton Wanderers 2, Burnley 1

Dougie Freedman's decision to replace Marvin Sordell and Steve De Ridder with David Ngog and Craig Davies just before the hour proved unpopular among the home support, though it turned out to be a match-winning

transformation.

Former Tykes striker Davies became the target man the hosts had been lacking in the first half as their work down the flanks was swept up by the Clarets rearguard, often unopposed.

It was a decent showing from the visitors in the first 45 minutes, effectively restricting the hosts to half chances while having glimpses of goal themselves on the break.

Freedman's men shaded possession but rarely troubled the Clarets in open play. Ross Wallace was the first to register a shot on goal when his left-footed effort ricocheted off Darren Pratley and span around the far post

with Adam Bogdan scrambling.

The visitors opened up the Wanderers rearguard with a clever corner routine; Marney back-heeling the ball through the legs of Chung-Yong Lee to free Wallace at the by-line but the winger's fierce drive across goal was

cleared off the line by Pratley with leading scorer Charlie Austin challenging.

The home side saw a lot of the ball down the flanks, De Ridder attempting to orchestrate the space in behind full-back Danny Lafferty, but with no target man in the box, the Clarets defence comfortably soaked up the

pressure.

However, Wanderers posed a threat from set-pieces and one-time Clarets target Craig Dawson went close to opening the scoring when rising unmarked from a Jay Spearing corner only to find the wrong side of the post.

Former Saints man De Ridder showed his potential once more when spinning skipper Jason Shackell inside the box and winning a corner as his drilled effort took a touch as it flashed wide. And from the resulting set-piece

Lee Grant had to be alert to palm Lee's header off the line by his post before Chris McCann blocked Marcos Alonso's follow-up on the edge of the box.

Former Claret Chris Eagles, who was relatively anonymous, blazed over as Wanderers continued to press but on the break Zat Knight was lucky Danny Ings was moving away from goal as he nicked the ball off the

defender before going to ground under the challenge - referee Chris Foy awarding a yellow card.

After Wallace bent the resulting free-kick harmlessly over the bar, Eagles sliced wide when under pressure from McCann while Shackell closed the space. Dawson closed the half with another header wide after Pratley's

deflected attempt trickled wide.

Within 10 minutes of the restart the vociferous 3,500 travelling support erupted when David Edgar converted McCann's header at the back post - his first goal since his brace at the KC Stadium against Hull City last term.

That prompted the change and moments later it had its reward. Lee cut inside Trippier and whipped in a cross which saw Davies get ahead of Lafferty and throw himself at the ball, his header looping over Grant and

bouncing over the line via the underside of the crossbar.

Davies almost grabbed his second immediately when Ngog's deflected shot rolled perfectly in to his path, but he was denied by a superb save from Grant who spread himself to restrict the space before diving on the loose ball.

Dyche then moved to a 4-4-2, with Martin Paterson replacing Wallace and moving alongside Austin. However, that failed to change the momentum as Bolton stormed forward, seemingly more spirited than their opponents.

They went close again when Grant spilled a cross and Dawson's effort was cleared off the line before Alonso's rebound suffered the same fate.

Freedman added another aerial threat, with Kevin Davies replacing Eagles, and it was another presence that startled the Clarets as they failed to adapt to a change in style. Grant produced another fine save to deny Alonso's free-kick, which threatened to creep in at the post, but within a minute the home side took the lead.

From the resulting throw-in the Clarets failed to clear, and as the ball reached Spearing his wayward volley was turned past an unexpecting Grant instinctively by Ngog.

Sam Vokes replaced Ings as the Clarets looked to salvage a point, and they went close when Stanislas bent an effort around the angle after Austin struggled to find space to poke the ball home during a melee on the edge of the six-yard box.

It's now 22 points dropped from winning positions for the Clarets now this campaign, and they once again failed to capitalise on Boro's defeat as they fell at home to Barnsley.

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