Middlesbrough 1-3 Bolton Wanderers

Bolton brought Middlesbrough's unbeaten run of five games to a grinding halt with an easy win at the Riverside.

Iceland's Gretar Steinsson nodded in Matt Taylor's cross for the opener via the head of team-mate Kevin Davies.

Taylor then doubled the lead, cleverly wrong-footing the defence before firing in Steinsson's pass from the right.

Emanuel Pogatetz pulled one back in the second half, but Swedish international Johan Elmander crashed in the third to wrap up the game for the visitors.

Bolton had only scored three times in six league games before the match, and were not fancied to add many to their tally with the hosts on a great run since their 5-0 demolition by Chelsea a month ago.

Bolton boss Gary Megson:

"We got a terrific start but we didn't press it home and we were looking to hang onto it instead of pushing forward. We are a bit of an enigma at the moment.

"We spoke at half-time about having that little bit of belief and that will come from myself and the staff and everyone connected with the club. They need a bit of help to believe in themselves."

Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate:
"We did not play well enough to get anything out of the game and they deserved the points.

"We made the wrong decision with and without the ball and we were punished. We let ourselves down and we've learnt a harsh lesson.

"We have had a good run but it had to come to an end at some point and now we have to bounce back against Newcastle."

Middlesbrough: Turnbull, Hoyte, Wheater, Pogatetz, Taylor (Arca 76), Aliadiere (Adam Johnson 58), O'Neil, Digard, Downing, Alves (Emnes 75), Sanli.

Subs Not Used: Jones, Hines, Grounds, Walker.

Booked: Pogatetz, Digard.

Goals: Pogatetz 77.

Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Cahill, Andrew O'Brien, Samuel, Taylor (Gardner 89), McCann, Muamba, Nolan, Elmander (Smolarek 84), Davies.

Subs Not Used: Al Habsi, Riga, Shittu, Basham, Obadeyi.

Booked: Muamba, Cahill, Samuel, Nolan, McCann.

Goals: Steinsson 8, Taylor 10, Elmander 78.

Att: 24,487

Ref: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire).