Diouf strike puts Whites on brink of survival (From The Bolton News)

Diouf strike puts Whites on brink of survival

6:08pm Saturday 3rd May 2008 in

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Wanderers 1 Sunderland 0

Half-timeEL-Hadji Diouf put Wanderers within 45 minutes of Premier League safety when he broke a tense Reebok stalemate three minutes before half-time.

The Senegalese hitman, possibly playing his last game at the Reebok, produced a touch of class in an otherwise unremarkable game to put Wanderers firmly in the driving seat.

Diouf showed class and composure to finish at the far post after skipper Kevin Nolan had delivered an inch-perfect cross from the right.

It was only Wanderers' second real chance of note in the game, with Kevin Davies spurning a good opportunity in the 28th minute when he headed over a Diouf cross.

Davies was having an influential game, shrugging off any concerns over his injured hand with some strong challenges that let the Sunderland defence know they were in for a game.

Sunderland's only real chance of the game came on the half-hour mark when striker Kenwyne Jones cut in from the left and fired in a low shot that Ali Al-Habsi dealt with quite comfortably.

Sunderland had shown little to worry Wanderers supporters, who raised the roof at the Reebok with some more fantastic support.