Blackburn Rovers overcame a poor set of results with a brilliant second half display to thrash Bolton Wanderers 4-1 in their Premiership clash on Sunday.

Benni McCarthy put Blackburn in the lead from the penalty spot midway through the first half but Bolton equalized five minutes into the second half through Kevin Davis. Blackburn were awarded a second penalty which was converted by McCarthy while goals from David Bentley and Morten Gamst Pedersen posted a harsh scoreline for Bolton though Blackburn deserved their lead.

Both the keepers were pressed in for some early service with Jussi Jaaskelainen keeping out McCarthy's effort in the first minute while Brad Friedel managed to parry El Hadji Diouf's shot from close range. Blackburn were dominating the possession but had little to show before David Dunn was fouled inside the area by Gretar Steinsson, though replays showed that the defender had won the ball.

McCarthy kept his nerve and put Blackburn in the lead with his first goal in last five matches. Bolton almost equalized at the other end when Friedel parried Diouf's shot and Kevin Nolan was late in reaching the rebound, kicking the post instead.

Parity was restored five minutes into the second half when Davis smashed home Zurab Khizanishvili's pass and Bolton pressed forward in search of the lead, managing to exert pressure on the Blackburn defense. However the hosts were back in the lead in the 67th minute through another penalty after Dunn was once again fouled, this time by Gary Cahill and McCarthy made no mistake to score his second of the night.

Blackburn doubled the lead four minutes later when Bentley rose high to meet Dunn's cross at the far post. Pedersen provided the finishing touches to a hard fought game by scoring Blackburn's fourth goal of the night with the final touch of the game as Blackburn continued their pursuit of European football next season.