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Af
ter two successive victories on the road, Newcastle came crashing back down to earth on Saturday at the Reebok on a day when little went right for them.

Much of the pre-match hype had surrounded the return of Trotters old boy Kevin Nolan, but his first contribution to the game was to handle the ball in his own box after 18 minutes - a harsh decision from referee Howard Webb.

England reject Kevin Davies coolly shot past Tim Krul from the spot and from that point United's afternoon got steadily worse, Mike Williamson perhaps lucky to stay on the field after tangling with Johan Elmander.

Struggling in midfield with both Cheik Tiote and Joey
Barton suspended, their replacements Alan Smith and Danny Guthrie were vastly inferior and as a result, the Magpies defence was regularly exposed and virtually nothing came down the right flank all afternoon.

They were undone again six minutes before half time, when a Matt Taylor free kick rebounded off the crossbar. Failing to clear properly, the suspiciously offside Chung Yong-Lee was then on hand to double Bolton's advantage.

The chances of a comeback didn't great at that point, with a sluggish-looking United posing Bolton few problems in attack, as Chris Hughton's side regrettably took their forgettable home form on to the road.

And within five minutes of the restart, Elmander was able to walk through some meek defending and shoot home to make it 3-1. Andy Carroll then promptly reduced the arrears with a similar finish but Elmander shrugged off Coloccini to restore Bolton's three-goal advantage with 18 minutes left.

Coloccini's nightmarish afternoon then came to an early conclusion on 75 minutes when he was sent off after apparently elbowing Elmander in the face - Webb conferring with the linesman who had a perfect view before brandishing his red card.

And in added time United's misery was completed by a seemingly legal challenge by Jose Enrique on Davies seeing the Trotters striker tumble, before getting up to knock in another spot kick.

Andy Carroll's willingness to work despite his midweek international appearance and recent groin injury problems was a rare positive for a Magpies side who lacked any discernible shape and whose passing verged on the atrocious at times.

Despite the final score and their poor display though, they did have chances after the break to add to Carroll's goal - the number nine hitting the crossbar with one shot, Lovenkrands shooting against the 'keeper when having clear sight of goal and Mike Williamson hoofing over when a corner fell to him beyond the back post.

That said though, a Bolton side who were no better than United for long periods deserved their success. Whether they would have registered such an emphatic victory without the two goal start is a moot point though.


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