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ESPN - Bolton cruised into the fourth round of
the FA Cup at Doncaster's new Keepmoat Stadium, with two goals from Iran
international Andranik Teymourian and one each for Kevin Davies and Idan
Tal.
Wanderers' fringe players gave manager Sam Allardyce plenty to think about
as a much-changed line up gave the Coca-Cola League One promotion-chasers a
footballing lesson.
Midfield playmaker Andranik, signed by Allardyce in the summer after
appearing in the 2006 World Cup finals, slammed home the fourth goal soon
after the restart to put the game well beyond Rovers.
Doncaster made two changes from the side who helped mark the first match at
their new #32million home on New Year's Day with a 3-0 league win over
Huddersfield.
Gareth Roberts (suspended) and Paul Green were replaced by James Coppinger
and Brian Stock respectively.
Bolton made wholesale changes - goalkeeper Ian Walker, Abdoulaye Meite,
Stelios Giannokopoulos, Ricardo Gardner, Andranik, Quinton Fortune, Ricardo
Vaz Te and Tal all drafted into the starting line-up.
Paul Heffernan had claims for an early penalty waved away when Abdoulaye
Faye caught him while chasing a through ball into the penalty area.
But otherwise neither side fired a shot on target in the first seven
minutes.
Bolton then stunned the hosts when Stelios took advantage of Stock's slip in
midfield and clipped a fine ball through to Davies.
Davies, made captain for the day with Gary Speed on the bench, showed
Premiership class as he applied an expert finish - tucking his volley inside
home goalkeeper Ben Smith's far post.
Mark McCammon almost headed Doncaster level soon afterwards from a free-kick
out wide - but Walker, in for Jussi Jaaskalainen, pulled off a superb
one-handed save.
The early goal they had conceded appeared to galvanise Rovers.
Adam Lockwood headed just over from a corner, and there was more purpose to
their play.
But Bolton looked dangerous on the break with the interchanging Stelios,
Davies and Vaz Te proving a handful.
Smith then kept Rovers in the game with an excellent save of his own to deny
Andranik from Vaz Te's ball in.
Moments later, though, Bolton took a two-goal lead - Andranik this time
giving Smith no chance with a shot with the outside of his foot from inside
the penalty area.
Rovers were now being run ragged by Bolton's
slick interpassing.
Heffernan tried to make space for himself on the edge of the area but
dragged his low right-foot shot wide.
Tal took advantage of more sloppy defending to score a controversial third.
The Wanderers midfielder latched on to a bobbling ball to arrow in a shot
which Smith did well to block, but Tal followed up to thump home the rebound
only for the linesman to raise his flag for offside. Referee Dermot
Gallagher was not convinced there had been any interference, however - and
after consulting his assistant, he decided the goal should stand.
If Doncaster had a mountain to climb as the second half kicked off they were
soon looking at Mission Impossible when Andranik grabbed his second and
Bolton's fourth.
The Iranian international burst into the penalty area as Bolton broke down
the left and thumped home a square pass from Davies.
Doncaster's afternoon was summed up in one particular break up field. James
Coppinger's excellent 40-yard pas set Heffernan away - but when he was
one-on-one with Faye on the edge of the penalty area the Irishman was
comfortably hustled off the ball before he could get in a shot.
Heffernan saw another rare chance inside Wanderers' area thwarted by the
same defender and then fired a right-foot shot narrowly over the bar.
Mark Wilson inspired Rovers' best move of the match, as he raced clear down
the right and found substitute Jason Price in the area, but his effort on
the turn was blocked.
The sight of French striker Nicolas Anelka coming on for Davies in the 74th
minute did little to comfort Doncaster's fans, but captain Graeme Lee almost
did when his far-post header flew narrowly over the crossbar.
The second half fizzled out as the clock ticked down, and the majority of
another sell-out Keepmoat crowd had left their seats several minutes before
the final whistle.
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