Taylor nets brace to propel Lazio over Bologna following Orsolini penalty failure

As the campaign advances with both squads eyeing a climb into the upper echelons Serie As eighth and ninth placed outfits mostly neutralised one another during the opening period. Lazio held sway over the ball in the initial phases yet Adam Marusic merely nudged it right at Federico Ravaglia upon finding room inside the penalty area while Bologna gradually warmed up after a sluggish start.

In fact they nearly forged ahead around the 20 minute mark from an unassuming position when Nikola Moro collected the ball some 30 yards out yet his fierce strike crashed against the junction of crossbar and upright with Edoardo Motta beaten all ends up.

As the interval approached Lazios most promising opportunities arose from swift breaks with Marusic posing the chief danger down the flank. He fashioned another opportunity by surging forward and might have located Daniel Maldini centrally yet seemed indecisive as his attempted delivery sailed just beyond the woodwork.

The hosts received a prime opportunity shortly after the break when a wayward distribution from Fisayo Dele-Bashiru handed the ball to Santiago Castro.

The Argentine forward was felled by Motta inside the area but the Lazio custodian swiftly atoned by stretching to his left to thwart Riccardo Orsolini from the ensuing penalty.

That stop emerged as a pivotal juncture in the contest as it seemed to sap the energy from the local supporters and enabled the away team to build their own offensive impetus.

Approaching the closing quarter hour a draw appeared on the cards yet it dissolved due to a pair of brilliant efforts from Taylor. He netted the first on 72 minutes by staying composed inside the box to drill into the far corner.

Bologna reeled from the blow and Taylor added a second ten minutes on by rounding Ravaglia prior to rolling the ball home.

The outcome extends Lazios run to three successive victories placing them eight points shy of the leading pack while they now sit one point and one spot ahead of Bologna who slip to ninth place.