Revelation from Ricketts

Leicester City 0 Bolton Wanderers 5

"Can you spell crap?" muttered the downcast man in a blue Leicester shirt as he filed past the press box at the close of this humiliation of his team, with the boos and chants of "Taylor out" ringing around Filbert Street. The match had been widely previewed as a clash between two clubs who would struggle for survival and Leicester duly shouldered that role, carrying on where they left off last season, careering downhill at an alarming rate.

But Bolton were a revelation. Having had a let-off in the second minute, they seized control of midfield from Robbie Savage and Dennis Wise, ended the match as a contest well before half-time and scored five cracking goals. Sam Allardyce, managing to conceal a broad grin, pointed out that those predicting his side's demise may have overlooked Bolton's away form in their promotion year, when they won a club-record 14 games. Architects of a marvellous win were the brightly blond Per Frandsen, striker of two stunning free-kick goals, Kevin Nolan, an England Under-19 player and a tall, powerfully-built youngster who could easily have doubled his tally of two goals, and Michael Ricketts, an old-fashioned plundering centre-forward, who seriously discomfited a defender of the skill and uncompromising experience of Matt Elliott.

The target of "Taylor out" cries, the manager Peter Taylor, admitted he was shocked and embarrassed. He described the post-match dressing room as "very quiet", and said he had told his players only Frank Sinclair and Muzzy Izzet had come out of the débâcle with any credit. It was surprising that Taylor managed to find two men to exempt, so awful were Leicester.

Yet they could have gone into an early lead, which might have made a difference. Only two minutes had been played when Wise tapped a short corner to Izzet. His cross was flicked on by Dean Sturridge to find Elliott unmarked at the far post. But he wasted this clearly-practised set piece by steering his header wide.

Having escaped, Bolton settled quickly into their profitable away tactics and went in front after 14 minutes. Savage, a peripheral figure who has seemed lost since the arrival in midfield of Wise, attempted to usher the ball out for a goalkick but Frandsen launched himself at the ball and his centre, achieved on the slide, found Nolan, whose looping header was beautifully directed, dipping under the bar to leave goalkeeper Tim Flowers helpless.

With Ricketts, Bolton's leading scorer last year with 24 goals, ringing alarm bells every time he gained possession, Bo Hansen running and passing beautifully on the left and Frandsen and the veteran Paul Warhurst at the heart of a stream of attractive moves, Leicester were thrown on the defensive and into utter confusion. Nolan could have had a second before, after 32 minutes, Ricketts latched onto a fine pass from Ricardo Gardner, ran through Gary Rowett, leaving him in a heap on the floor, and struck a fantastic cross-shot high into the far corner.

As the Bolton supporters chanted "Ricketts for England" and "We're gonna win the league", a third goal arrived after 40 minutes. Frandsen cleverly chipped a free-kick over the Leicester wall for Gudni Bergsson to head into the path of Nolan, who struck home a fine volley. Still this wretched half was not over for Leicester. In injury time, with a free-kick being advanced ten yards by referee Rob Styles because of dissent by Ade Akinbiyi, Frandsen drove the ball low past Flowers.

Leicester's interval on-pitch pundit Alan Birchenall denounced the home side as "absolute crap" over the loudspeaker system and Taylor made three substitutions, surprisingly taking off Sturridge and Akinbiyi, who had been innocent witnesses to the slaughter. Taylor explained: "By half-time the game was as good as gone, so I put Elliott up front to chase the game. I wanted players at the back who were quick so we could push up." It was a vain hope. Bolton dominated the second half at a stroll and, with the grumbling rising from the stands, scored a fifth eight minutes from the end as Frandsen curled another free-kick past the stranded Flowers. The only time Leicester fans raised a cheer was when their old hero, Ian Marshall, came on as a late substitute for Bolton.

"We have surprised everybody today," chortled Allardyce. He can say that again.

Leicester City 0 Bolton Wanderers 5

Nolan 15, 41, Ricketts 33, Frandsen 45, 83

Half-time: 0-4 Attendance: 19,987