Diouf double propels Bolton to third

Newcastle once again squandered precious Barclays Premiership home points as Bolton striker El-Hadji Diouf plundered a double to complete a second-half comeback and secure a 2-1 win.

However, defensive errors once again cost the Magpies dear as Diouf first converted a 55th-minute Nicolas Anelka cross and then headed home from close-range two minutes later to snatch victory.

The Magpies were as poor after the break as they had been good before it, and they have now taken just four points from the 12 they have contested on Tyneside this season, despite taking the lead in each game.

For Bolton, it was a first ever Premiership win at St James' Park at the eighth attempt and a welcome relief for manager Sam Allardyce.

Allardyce brought his side to St James' last season having been heavily linked to the Magpies job which ultimately went to Glenn Roeder, but left on the wrong end of a 3-1 scoreline as the present incumbent enhanced his own curriculum vitae.

This time around, he arrived on Tyneside still in the headlines, but for very different reasons after finding himself a target for accusations of corruption.

A 2-0 victory over Liverpool last time out had continued Wanderers' impressive start to the season, and with Newcastle needing to bounce back from their 2-0 defeat at Manchester United, there were few illusions about the task they faced.

However, just as they had done last season, the home side made Bolton look distinctly ordinary in the opening 45 minutes and walked off at the break deservedly in front and knowing they should perhaps have extended their lead.

The link-up between Damien Duff and Peter Ramage down the left proved a real headache for the visitors, and with Scott Parker and Emre snapping at heels in midfield and Obafemi Martins full of running, Allardyce's men were repeatedly stretched.

Ameobi back-heeled a shot over the bar with just four minutes gone and Martins fired over the top eight minutes later following good build-up play.

But the opening goal finally arrived in the 19th minute after Nolberto Solano had linked superbly with Martins to put the striker into space down the right, and his cross struck Abdoulaye Faye's arm.

After consulting his assistant, referee Alan Wiley pointed to the spot, much to the disgust of former Magpie Gary Speed in particular, and Ameobi kept his cool to send Jussi Jaaskelainen the wrong way.

The Magpies should really have been two up at the break, but Ramage, presented with a rare opportunity to score at the end of a move he had started, skied his shot high over after Martins' effort had been blocked.

Bolton had created little of any note but in the meantime they might have been level had it not been for the commitment of keeper Steve Harper.

He had to react smartly as Parker dispossessed Diouf but directed the ball towards his own goal, and he then parried Kevin Davies' follow-up before flicking the ball off Anelka's toes as he prepared to shoot.

But for Jaaskelainen, it would have been 2-0 within 30 seconds of the restart.

Titus Bramble's thunderous clearing header allowed Martins to run away from Faye, and as Abdoulaye Meite came across, he unleashed a left-foot drive which the keeper turned away diving to his left.

However, as Bolton stepped the tempo, the home side found themselves under pressure, although some of it, as so often in the past, was of their own making.

Stephen Carr's mishit clearance fell to Davies, who managed to feed the ball across to Kevin Nolan, whose goalbound shot was superbly blocked by Ramage.

As the tried to regroup, the Magpies were stretched again and Harper was relieved to see Faye fail to direct a Diouf cross at goal beyond the far post.

But they would not be so fortunate again.

With 55 minutes gone, Carr misread Faye's long ball to allow Anelka to steal in behind him and cross for Diouf to score from close range.

And worse was to follow two minutes later when Davies rose to flick on a deep free-kick and find the unmarked Diouf four yards out, and he headed past the stranded Harper.

The Senegalese international became a target for the home fans as he repeatedly went to ground although, more often than not, referee Wiley had little option but to blow.

Newcastle were in complete disarray, disorganised at the back, ineffectual in midfield and toothless in attack.

Indeed, the visitors might have extended their lead with 11 minutes remaining when Anelka created space for himself on the left and flashed a shot just wide of the far post.