Bolton put four past lowly Boro

Middlesbrough's relegation woes increased as they suffered a 4-1 defeat to Bolton at the Reebok Stadium which leaves them five points adrift of safety.

Kevin Davies put the hosts ahead with his 12th league goal of the season in only the eighth minute, only for Gary O'Neil to equalise seven minutes before half-time.

However, Gary Cahill fired home close to the interval before Matt Taylor and Ricardo Gardner added late goals and with Blackburn and Stoke both winning, the Teessiders face a daunting task if they are to survive with seven matches remaining.

Their away form is costing them dearly as this was their ninth successive defeat on the road, their worst run since the Second World War.

History suggested they would not get much at the Reebok, where they have not beaten Bolton in the Premier League.

Bolton went ahead after Gardner was allowed to break free down the left, and when he curled a teasing cross into the six-yard box Emanuel Pogatetz failed to make a decisive move and Davies stabbed home a shot.

Fabrice Muamba should have made it 2-0 when he duffed his close-range shot, while the injured Pogatetz was substituted before Middlesbrough equalised in the 38th minute when striker Tuncay Sanli threaded a pass through to O'Neil who slotted home.

But a minute before the interval Cahill restored the lead, firing home from close range after Johan Elmander had brought down Taylor's free-kick.

Taylor scored his ninth goal of the campaign after 78 minutes when his inswinging free-kick from the right touchline sailed over the defence and in at the far post.

And there was more misery for the visitors when Gardner controlled Taylor's left-wing cross to add a fourth five minutes from time.