Boro Leave It Late, As Rhodes Rescues Three Points

Bolton    1        Middlesbrough    2

                                  Vela 61                              Rhodes  73 90+1

Jordan Rhodes scored a stoppage time winner as Middlesbrough came from behind to beat already relegated Bolton at the Macron Stadium.

The result keeps Boro top of the Championship with four games remaining, ahead of a decisive fixture with promotion rivals Burnley on Tuesday.

Rhodes’ header in the dying minutes was Boro’s second late winner in the space of a week, following Adam Forshaw’s last gasp strike against Reading last Tuesday.

The goal also marked Rhodes’ first double for the club since his arrival in January, after he had earlier cancelled out Josh Vela’s opener in the second half.

The win means Boro have now won their last six league fixtures, but this was far from straight forward against a Bolton side who are already preparing for life in League One next season.

The visitors saw most of the ball early on but rarely tested Bolton keeper Ben Amos in a cagey first half. The closest they came was when Stewart Downing’s thumping volley from the edge of the area rebounded off the cross bar.

Bolton responded when Zach Clough set up Mark Davies but his back heel was saved by Dimi Konstantopulos. Clough then had an effort of his own which shaved the top of the cross bar.

The hosts took the lead on 61 minutes when Emile Heskey’s knock down was lashed home from close range by Vela. Twelve minutes later Boro were level when Rhodes’ header was blocked by David Wheater but fell back into the striker’s path for him to make it 1-1.

Boro claimed the winner after five minutes of stoppage time were showed by the fourth official. It came when substitute David Nugent hocked the ball back across goal for Rhodes to head home from close range.