Teemu Pukki bags brace as Norwich ease past Bolton to go top of Championship

Posted Sunday, February 17, 2019 by PA

Two-goal Teemu Pukki maintained his outstanding recent scoring form as Norwich eased past struggling Bolton 4-0 to move top of the Sky Bet Championship clash.

The prolific Finland striker netted for a sixth-successive game as Daniel Farke’s side returned to winning ways to replace Leeds United at the summit.

Pukki then turned provider for German midfielder Marco Stiepermann as Norwich recovered in style from a 3-1 midweek defeat at Preston.

Emiliano Buendia added a third, nine minutes from half-time and – but for a couple of saves by City old boy Remi Matthews – Wanderers’ interval deficit could have been even greater.

Pukki bagged a fourth in the second half, while Kenny McLean saw a penalty saved by Matthews to deny the East Anglian outfit what would have been a well-merited fifth goal.

Second-bottom Wanderers, whose 1-0 success at Birmingham on Tuesday went against recent relegation form, started encouragingly with Clayton Donaldson flashing wide an early header.

But once Pukki latched on to Stiepermann’s pass for his seventh goal in his last six games – and his 22nd Championship goal of the campaign – after eight minutes, Norwich took control.

The two exchanged roles after 25 minutes as Pukki beat the offside trap to cut the ball back into the area where Stiepermann’s low, left-footed shot attempt from 16 yards doubled City’s advantage.

Stiepermann dominated midfield and was the recipient of a crude challenge by Craig Noone after 29 minutes to earn the Bolton player a booking from referee Andy Woolmer.

Buendia wasted two good chances to add to Norwich’s goal tally before he made it third-time lucky after 33 minutes.

McLean’s defence-splitting pass picked out the Argentinean midfielder, who stuck out a leg to guide the ball beyond Matthews from 12 yards.

Overworked Matthews then kept out efforts from Onel Hernandez and Stiepermann as the visitors cruised to a Championship double over their hosts.

Bolton boss Phil Parkinson’s interval response was to bring on Sammy Ameobi and Joe Williams for Josh Vela and Donaldson.

The changes though made no difference to the one-way traffic on Matthews’ goal.

Hernandez and Pukki were denied by Bolton’s shot-stopper before Pukki doubled his personal tally by lofting the ball over Matthews with an angled right-footed effort after 55 minutes.

The Scandinavian hit man was also felled by Mark Beevers to give Norwich a 63rd-minute penalty.

McLean took responsibility for the spot-kick in front of Norwich’s 1,561 fans but Matthews saved low down to cap his man-of-the-match display.

Substitute Williams tried his luck from distance as second-bottom Bolton tried in vain to rally, while Pukki’s bid for a hat-rick was denied by the Wanderers goalie.