The England left-winger created all of Middlesbrough’s first three goals before ensuring the limelight was his by striking a superb fourth himself.

It was an awful afternoon for Bolton, who also had El-Hadji Diouf sent off for swearing at referee Alan Wiley and the manner and scale of the defeat leaves question marks over their ability to challenge for a Champions League place.

Bolton’s tried and tested method of knocking opponents out of their stride failed completely as Jonathan Woodgate lapped up every long ball.

By contrast, Middlesbrough’s strikers Mark Viduka and Yakubu dominated their markers – the Australian scored twice while Yakubu should have at least matched his partner.

Abel Xavier was also on target for Boro, and it was his header which led to Gary Speed’s own goal, while Kevin Nolan’s reply for Bolton to bring the scores back to 3-1 only provided brief hope.

It was not the way Bolton boss Sam Allardy would have wished to celebrate striker Kevin Davies putting pen to paper on a new deal that to keep him at the club until 2010.

In the opening salvos it had looked as though it might be Bolton’s day when Davies headed on a long throw and Nicolas Anelka swung his foot but volleyed high over the bar. Mark Schwarzer was then forced to turn aside Speed’s low drive.

That early pressure made it all the more surprising when Boro scored twice in the opening 10 minutes.

Xavier took the congratulations for the first after he climbed to head Downing’s free-kick against the foot of the post, the ball then rebounding off Speed’s leg and trickling agonisingly past Jussi Jaaskelainen.

There was no taking the second goal away from Xavier however. Uncharacteristically indecisive defending by Bolton led to Downing gaining possession and he then left Nolan flat-footed before picking out Xavier and the unmarked Portuguese defender sent a header floating over Jaaskelainen into the top corner.

Xavier celebrated in some style, racing to exchange high fives with Gareth Southgate before climbing into the players’ bench area to receive hugs from the substitutes.

With confidence oozing from every pore, Middlesbrough, astonishingly, went 3-0 up in the 23rd minute with Downing the creator for the third time. With the outside of his foot, the England left-winger sent a superb cross to the far-post for Viduka to steal in and volley home from close range.

Ituld have been game over had Nolan not given Bolton some hope by pulling one back only a minute later.

Ivan Campo’s long throw again caused problems and this time Davies laid the ball back for Nolan to sidefoot in from the edge of the area.

Still Boro kept attacking though and Yakubu sent a shot rolling the wrong side of the post after holding off Abdoulaye Meite.

The Nigerian striker was proving a real handful and rattled a shot an inch wide after tremendous play by Viduka created a shooting opportunity.

Two minutes before the break Downing confirmed his position as the exceptional player on the pitch with a wonderful strike to make it 4-1.

Fed by Boateng, the 22-year-old cut inside Nicky Hunt and Nolan and as the Bolton defence stood off unleashed a right-footed shot that whistled into the back of the net.

Allardyce tried to limit Downing’s influence at the break by bringing on Ricardo Gardner for Hunt and switching Tal Ben Haim to right-back, but that particular horse had already bolted.

Not surprisingly, Middlesbrough opted to sit on their lead and make life tough for Bolton and soon the opportunity-laden first half became just a pleasant memory.

There were still occasional chances though. Downing blasted over a 25-yard free-kick before at the other end Davies was left frustrated after failing to get on the end of Diouf’s free-kick.

Yakubu should also have done much better when he fired wide after being put through by Viduka’s back-heel.

Bolton’s uphill task became mountainous when Diouf was sent off in the 66th minute for swearing at Wiley. Replays showed the Senegalese player appearing to say ’f*** off’ to the match official and he received a straight red card.

Allardyce looked furious – and his mood would not have been improved by the Boro fans bursting in to a chorus of ’He’s going to whinge on the telly.”

With six minutes remaining Viduka piled on the agony with Boro’s fifth.

Lee Cattermole provided the opening after beating Gardner down the right and Viduka, having made space for himself to receive the ball, finished with aplomb for his sixth goal in five games.