Blackburn boss Steve Kean has called on his side to get back to winning ways after seeing their recent resurgence ended at Bolton.
Blackburn boss keen to move on from emotional Bolton defeat
Blackburn boss Steve Kean has called on his side to get back to winning ways after seeing their recent resurgence ended on an emotional afternoon at Bolton.
Rovers went down 2-1 at the Reebok Stadium in a match which was Bolton's first since the collapse of midfielder Fabrice Muamba during last weekend's abandoned FA Cup quarter-final at Tottenham.
The match was preceded by more tributes to the 23-year-old, who remains in intensive care at the London Chest Hospital, with David Wheater then providing yet another get well message to his team-mate with a first-half brace which set Owen Coyle's men on their way to all three points.
Steven Nzonzi pulled Blackburn back into the contest in the second half, but they could not find a leveller and any hopes of extending their three-game unbeaten run came to an end, with their five-point cushion over the drop zone now cut to three.
"Everybody in the country is giving their well-wishes to Fabrice, including ourselves. What we wanted to try and do today was separate both, wish him all the best but get down to business," Kean told
Sky Sports.
Atmosphere
"Such was the atmosphere inside the ground, Bolton were on the front foot, getting to the second balls and dictating the play in the first 10 or 15 minutes.
"I didn't think we played particularly well with the ball, but when you've got the great delivery with Morten (Gamst Pedersen) from his set-pieces and long throws, we can still cause problems.
"We weren't as good as we have been of late and now we have to go on another run again. Let's go on a run and be positive.
"Our run of late has been good, we have been creating a lot of chances, but the goals we have conceded today have really cost us because they have been poor from our point of view."
Luxury
Kean felt one early key decision went against his side with the score at 0-0 when Junior Hoilett burst into the area only to be felled by Gretar Steinsson, with referee Andre Marriner unmoved.
"I thought at the time it was touch and go," the Rovers boss admitted.
"I have the luxury of seeing it again in slow motion and I think Steinsson gets a boot onto the side of Junior Hoilett's shin pad and takes him down when he is running through.
"I respect all the referees and he has not seen it, but I think that is a big point in the game."
