By Mark Heys
March 24 2006

Bolton Wanderers are hoping to put a ten year record to rest this weekend as they take on cup specialists Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium.

Not since February 1996 have the Wanderers proved victorious when travelling to the Riverside with the last four meetings on Teeside spelling two draws and two defeats.

Boro are looking to end a run of four games without a win despite their heroics in the FA Cup and UEFA Cup of late whereas Bolton aim to record their third Premiership victory in a row having defeated Sunderland and West Ham United this month.

Last season the Wanderers looked on course to win in this fixture thanks to a Henrik Pedersen goal but a mad few moments in the final stages cost them maximum points as Dutchman George Boateng equalised in injury time after goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen was sent off.

The game was also remembered for the infamous incident which saw Bolton striker El-Hadji Diouf put before the courts after seemingly spitting a drink in the direction of a young supporter.

Diouf could make his first Wanderers appearance in two months at the weekend after recovering well from a hernia operation, however fellow forward Matt Jansen is still missing with a knee problem.

Khalilou Fadiga and Ivan Campo are also ruled out for the trip but the latter could return before the end of the season if he continues to make good progress from a fractured foot sustained in the cup game against Arsenal.

Tony McMahon (knee) and Malcolm Christie (leg) are ruled out for the rest of the season for Boro but Chris Riggott may return following a recent calf problem in the game against Blackburn.

George Boateng and Lee Cattermole play their last game before having to serve a UEFA Cup suspension in next week's quarter final tie against Swiss side FC Basle.

PREMIERSHIP RECORD

09/09/1995 BOLTON WANDERERS 1 (McGinlay) MIDDLESBROUGH 1 (Hignett)

17/02/1996 MIDDLESBROUGH 1 (Pollock) BOLTON WANDERERS 4 (Blake, Coleman, De Freitas, Lee)

21/08/2001 BOLTON WANDERERS 1 (Ricketts) MIDDLESBROUGH 0

19/01/2002 MIDDLESBROUGH 1 (Whelan) BOLTON WANDERERS 1 (Hansen)

05/10/2002 MIDDLESBROUGH 2 (Ehiogu, Geremi) BOLTON WANDERERS 0

11/05/2003 BOLTON WANDERERS 2 (Frandsen, Okocha) MIDDLESBROUGH 1 (Ricketts)

13/09/2003 BOLTON WANDERERS 2 (Davies, N'Gotty) MIDDLESBROUGH 0

03/04/2004 MIDDLESBROUGH 2 (Nolan (OG), Greening) BOLTON WANDERERS 0

07/11/2004 MIDDLESBROUGH 1 (Boateng) BOLTON WANDERERS 1 (Pedersen)

12/02/2005 BOLTON WANDERERS 0 MIDDLESBROUGH 0

PREMIERSHIP FORM GUIDE:

Played: 10

Won: 4

Drawn: 4

Lost: 2

CONNECTIONS

Ian Bailey, Anthony Barness, Andy Campbell, Simon Coleman, Neil Cox, Andy Dibble, Allan Johnston, Alan Kernaghan, Gary Parkinson, Jimmy Phillips, Jamie Pollock, Kevin Poole, Michael Ricketts, Stuart Ripley, Andy Todd, Tom Woodward

IT HAPPENED WHEN BOLTON PLAYED BORO

In this fixture last season Jussi Jaaskelainen was sent off in the final minute of the game for a foul on Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. Boro scored the resulting free kick past their former goalkeeper Kevin Poole to equalise.

Florent Laville played his last ever game for Bolton against Boro in September 2003. The French centre half was stretchered off with serious knee ligament damage which kept him out of action for over a year.

Jamie Pollock scored against Bolton in their first ever visit to the Riverside Stadium in February 1996.