Match ends, Bolton Wanderers 3, Cardiff City 0.
BoltonBolton Wanderers3CardiffCardiff City0
Liam Feeney's first two goals for Bolton earned Neil Lennon a third win in five matches as manager, though they remain in the relegation zone.
The ex-Millwall winger swept in Lee Chung-Yong's cross to score for the first time since August 2013, before Darren Pratley fed him to add a second.
Matt Mills scuffed in a third, before Cardiff's Ravel Morrison clashed with Pratley as City's frustration grew.
Midfielder Morrison appeared to kick out at Pratley before both were booked.
Lennon, unhappy at the manner of Friday's 2-1 defeat at Norwich, responded by dropping captain Jay Spearing and last season's top scorer Jermaine Beckford to the bench.
Bolton went ahead when Pratley embarked on a drifting cross-field run, playing in Lee to cross for Feeney to beat David Marshall.
Mills, captain for the night in place of Spearing, then nodded over before having a close-range shot cleared off the line by Craig Noone.
But Feeney made it two when Lee kept the ball alive on the left to allow Pratley to hit a far-post cross to Feeney, who struck his shot into the ground and over Marshall.
Mills made victory certain when his mis-hit Max Clayton's low ball from the left into the ground, and it dribbled into the far corner of the net.
Morrison and Pratley were then involved in their late tussle, but both men stayed on the pitch after a lengthy discussion between the officials.
Cardiff, losing for only the second time under manager Russell Slade, stay in mid-table.
Bolton manager Neil Lennon: "It's the best we've played since I've been here against a very good side with a good manager.
"There was a good intensity and tempo to our play and real quality in the final third. We finished the game strongly which pleased me as well, so our fitness levels are improving.
"I think I've got some good footballers here and they've shown that tonight. Now, that's a benchmark. We can't keep going win, loss, win, loss, win and then lose on Friday. We've set a good standard now."
Cardiff City manager Russell Slade: "Sometimes you look at your players in training and you think maybe they're not looking confident but there's been a real confidence about the changing room and preparation has gone as well as ever.
"However, I just felt in that first period we had a little bit of a soft underbelly and you can't do that. And also you can't switch the game on and off like a tap."
Line-ups
Bolton
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 24Lonergan
- 25Vela
- 4Mills
- 14Dervite
- 5Ream
- 16DaviesSubstituted forSpearingat 52'minutes
- 18Danns
- 7FeeneySubstituted forClaytonat 71'minutes
- 27Lee
- 21PratleyBooked at 83mins
- 28DaviesSubstituted forBeckfordat 85'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Moxey
- 6Spearing
- 10Beckford
- 12Clayton
- 13Kenny
- 17Trotter
- 41Threlkeld
Cardiff
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Marshall
- 2Brayford
- 5Ecuele Manga
- 36Morrison
- 3da Silva
- 11Noone
- 17Gunnarsson
- 7Whittingham
- 21RallsSubstituted forMorrisonat 45'minutesBooked at 83mins
- 14Macheda
- 10Le FondreSubstituted forMaynardat 74'minutes
Substitutes
- 6Turner
- 13Kim
- 16Connolly
- 23Maynard
- 33Moore
- 38Morrison
- 39Gabbidon
- Referee:
- Geoff Eltringham
- Attendance:
- 12,961
Match Stats
Home TeamBoltonAway TeamCardiff
- Possession
- Home50%
- Away50%
- Shots
- Home15
- Away14
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away4
- Corners
- Home6
- Away7
- Fouls
- Home20
- Away5
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Bolton Wanderers 3, Cardiff City 0.
Post update
Attempt missed. Josh Vela (Bolton Wanderers) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Max Clayton.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Max Clayton (Bolton Wanderers) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Lee Chung-Yong.
Post update
Corner, Cardiff City. Conceded by Matt Mills.
Post update
Aron Gunnarsson (Cardiff City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Lee Chung-Yong (Bolton Wanderers).
Post update
Attempt blocked. Peter Whittingham (Cardiff City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Aron Gunnarsson.
Post update
Attempt saved. Nicky Maynard (Cardiff City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Jermaine Beckford (Bolton Wanderers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Lee Chung-Yong.
Post update
Attempt missed. Ravel Morrison (Cardiff City) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Peter Whittingham with a cross following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Cardiff City. Conceded by Andy Lonergan.
Post update
Attempt saved. Nicky Maynard (Cardiff City) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Craig Noone with a cross.
Post update
Attempt missed. Darren Pratley (Bolton Wanderers) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Tim Ream.
Post update
Corner, Bolton Wanderers. Conceded by Fabio.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Jermaine Beckford (Bolton Wanderers) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jay Spearing with a through ball.
Substitution
Substitution, Bolton Wanderers. Jermaine Beckford replaces Craig Davies.
Post update
Corner, Bolton Wanderers. Conceded by Craig Noone.
Booking
Ravel Morrison (Cardiff City) is shown the yellow card.
Booking
Darren Pratley (Bolton Wanderers) is shown the yellow card.
