91Èȱ¬

Wales striker Craig Davies struck a second-half brace as Bolton inflicted the worst home defeat on Cardiff City under Russell Slade.

After a goalless first half, Eidur Gudjohnsen fired the Trotters in front from 12 yards before Davies doubled their lead four minutes later.

He then scored his 10th goal of the season with a powerful shot as Bolton did the double over the Bluebirds.

It was the Wanderers' first win away from home in eight league matches.

Cardiff remain 13th in the table, three points above Bolton who are still 16th.

Both sides started the match brightly in an open first half.

Bolton midfielder Barry Bannan blocked Cardiff striker Eoin Doyle's goal-bound shot on the line.

At the other end, Bluebirds defender Sean Morrison headed Dorian Dervite's header clear with goalkeeper David Marshall beaten.

The breakthrough came 10 minutes into the second half. Former Liverpool striker Emile Heskey chested the ball down to Gudjohnsen, who volleyed the ball into the top corner.

Heskey, 37, turned provider again four minutes later, sliding the ball through to Davies who fired a powerful low shot into the corner to make it 2-0.

The 29-year-old then latched onto Bannan's pass inside the area before bending the ball inside Marshall's left-hand post.

Marshall denied Davies a hat-trick, rushing out to block his goal-bound effort with his legs.

Cardiff manager Russell Slade:

"We're hugely disappointed because there haven't been many bad results in recent weeks.

"Even in the first half, many of us didn't see that coming but they were ruthless in the way they took their chances and when we had those windows of opportunity we weren't ruthless.

"They have a wealth of experience and their finishing was clinical which proved to be the difference today.

"We could say things could have been different if we still had Kenwyne Jones [on loan to Bournemouth] because we were getting balls into the box with quality."

Bolton manager Neil Lennon on strike duo Eidur Gudjohnsen and Emile Heskey:

"You never lose the ability even if the legs start to go. But if you have got legs around them then it's OK.

"They've made a huge contribution to what we are trying to do, on and off the field. Heskey has been a model of consistency and Eidur still has plenty left.

"His motivation is to get back into the Iceland squad, he's done that and scored for his country which is a great story.

"It's a great example to a lot of players in the Championship, there were a few eyebrows raised and a few sniggers behind our backs when we brought these two in, but people aren't laughing now."