Rooney fires hat-trick
Monday, 30 October, 2006
Wayne Rooney scored his first top-flight hat-trick away to Bolton and is our 'England Player of the Weekend.'
England Player of the Weekend
There was only one man who could be the Player of the Weekend this time as Wayne Rooney put in a sublime performance for Manchester United away to Bolton Wanderers and notched his first domestic hat-trick in the process.
Rooney scored his first goal in ten matches and became the first player to breach Bolton's defence at home this season. His first strike was a left-footed effort past Jaaskelainen from a lofted through pass from his England colleague Michael Carrick.
His second goal was even more accurate as he steered the ball from 20 yards in off the post to put United in command of a signicant game as the top placed team met the third placed.
After Cristiano Ronaldo put the game beyond the home side, Rooney wrapped up his hat-trick, and the match ball, with just a minute on the clock.
Of the other candidates Frank Lampard was particularly influential for Chelsea at Bramall Lane as he scored the opening goal and created the second for Michael Ballack.
Aaron Lennon was also looking back on flying form as he did his best to break the deadlock for Martin Jol's side at Vicarage Road, but he was met with another candidate for the award in the form of Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster.