Wanderers were reeling from a new ban blow today after having Gerry Taggart sidelined by a shock six-match suspension.

The Ulsterman, who was due to start a three-match ban on Saturday, has been dealt a double blow after collecting his fifth booking of the season.

A second three-match suspension will now be tagged onto his existing sentence, which puts him out of action until the Premiership derby at Blackburn on December 6.

Taggart's loss is another blow to Wanderers, who are already ravaged by disciplinary and injury problems as they battle to stay clear of the relegation zone.

Colin Todd, who called for his players to keep their tempers and aggression in check after Taggart became the third Bolton player sent off in five Premiership games, saw the Northern Ireland international pick up his fifth booking in Sunday's 1-0 victory over Chelsea.

The yellow card, for a seventh minute foul on Norwegian international Tore Andre Flo, means an automatic suspension under the disciplinary code which was revised for the start of this season. The irony is that Taggart was just 20 minutes away from having one of his first four bookings struck off his record when he was sent off for his flare-up with Canadian goalkeeper Craig Forrest in the defeat at West Ham 10 days ago!

"It's a blow to lose Gerry for six games but infortunately that's been the story of our season so far," was Todd's reaction to the latest setback.

"I've been having to make selection decisions time and again because of self-inflicted problems."

Wanderers will have three players suspended when Liverpool visit the Reebok on Saturday.

Taggart starts his extended ban which will also put him out of the Premiership games at Sheffield Wednesday, Leicester City plus the Coca-Cola Cup tie at Middlesbrough as well as the home league games against Wimbledon and Newcastle. Scott Sellars starts a ban that also rules him out of the Sheffield Wednesday and Leicester games but leaves him free to play at Middlesbrough while Andy Todd completes the three-match ban for his punch-up with Aston Villa's Stan Collymore. Nathan Blake returned on Sunday after serving a three-match suspension for his bust up with Garry Pallister in the Manchester United derby.

With new signings Robbie Elliott (broken leg) and Neil Cox (hamstring) joining Chris Fairclough and John Sheridan on the long-term casualty list, Wanderers believe they have had more than their share of selection problems already.

Fairclough is making speedy progress after damaging a cruciate ligament in his knee in the final game of last season's Championship campaign but Sheridan has had a second exploratory operation to determine the full extent of the knee injury he sustained in pre-season.

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