West Brom paid the price for poor defending as they dented Bolton's dreams of hitting a top-six spot in an eight-goal thriller at The Hawthorns.

Gary Megson's side took the lead three times but in the end they had to be content with a point - a result that leaves them dangerously close to the relegation trap door.

It was Albion who opened the scoreline when Richard Sneekes made no mistake from the penalty spot in the 22nd minute after Fabian De Freitas was brought down by Gudni Bergsson.

But it was 1-1 in the 36th minute when Bo Hansen found the target with a looping header to an inch-perfect cross from the hard-working Michael Johansen.

Albion retook the lead in the 38th minute with a fine header from midfield dynamo Sean Flynn to a right-wing cross from Des Lyttle.

It was 2-2 in the 55th minute when Bergsson made amends for his earlier blunder as he punished slack defending with a cracking shot into the far corner of the net.

Bolton, needing maximum points to extend their season took the lead for the first time in the 66th minute when Eidur Gudjohnsen claimed his 18th strike of the campaign with a well-placed shot.

It was 3-3 in the 79th minute as striker Bob Taylor, who moved back to the Hawthorns just four games ago after two years on Bolton's books, scored.

Taylor beat keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen with a spectacular overhead kick to a nod on from Georges Santos.

Albion went ahead for the third time with just two minutes left on the clock when Adam Oliver notched his first senior goal as he sidefooted home at close range to a cross from Sneekes.

But it was 4-4 in the 90th minute when Bergsson grabbed his second goal of the game with a header to another cracking cross from Hansen.

Teams:

West Brom: Jensen, Lyttle, Burgess (Quinn 61), Butler, Carbon, Santos, Flynn, Sneekes, Clement (G. Potter 46), De Freitas (Oliver 72), Taylor.

Subs Not Used: Adamson, Evans.

Booked: Santos.

Goals: Sneekes 22 pen, Flynn 38, Taylor 79, Oliver 88.

Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Bergsson, Fish, Whitlow, Elliott (Phillips 64), Johansen, Jensen, Warhurst, Johnston (Holdsworth 85), Gudjohnsen, Hansen.

Subs Not Used: Banks, Grant, Passi.

Goals: Hansen 36, Bergsson 55, Gudjohnsen 66, Bergsson 90.

Att: 12,802

Ref: P Walton (Northants).