West Brom manager Bryan Robson was left cursing his luck at the Reebok Stadium.
He was within five minutes of chalking up his first win in his ninth game in
charge after replacing Gary Megson.
But his New Year's Day celebrations became mooted when El-Hadji Diouf capped a
late rally by Bolton to equalise.
Hungary midfielder Zoltan Gera opened the scoring - but it is wins West Brom
need, not draws.
Bolton have failed to win in 10 games but at least they ended a six-game
losing run with a spirited second half display.
Albion delivered a warning shot after 12 minutes when Jonathan Greening
delivered a long ball from the left.
However Gera just failed to get a vital touch much to Bolton's relief as sleet
battered the pitch.
The home side buckled a minute later, though, in a carbon-copy of the earlier
move.
Gera turned sweetly on the edge of the area to beat 41-year-old goalkeeper
Poole and find the corner of the net with his effort following a cross from
Greening.
It was just the breakthrough West Brom were looking for but Bolton were again
left facing an uphill task.
Geoff Horsfield should have added a second in the 18th minute after goalkeeper
Russell Hoult launched the ball long.
The experienced West Brom striker was left in acres of space but only
succeeded in smacking a shot against the outside of the post.
It was a let-off for Bolton so early in the game but their supporters were
already becoming restless.
Bolton re-grouped and came within a whisker of drawing level in the 29th
minute.
Kevin Davies worked an opening from the byline and rattled in a shot that was
superbly parried by Hoult.
The ball broke to Ricardo Gardner but he too was left frustrated as Darren
Purse hacked his effort clear with Bolton unsuccessfully claiming hand ball.
West Brom were looking dangerous on the break and Kanu cleverly clipped the
ball into the path of Ronnie Wallwork.
The former Manchester United defender took a couple of steps forward before
unleashing a shot that went over the bar.
However Bolton were having the majority of possession and carved out another
opening in the 35th minute.
Kevin Nolan got on the end of Nicky Hunt's cross but failed to test Hoult with
a header, his effort going well wide.
There was another scare for Bolton in the 38th minute when a 25-yard free-kick
from Neil Clement went narrowly wide after it was deflected at the last moment.
Then Gera saw his shot deflected by defender Bruno N'Gotty in first-half
stoppage time.
West Brom goalkeeper Hoult reacted instinctively in the 53rd minute to prevent
the home side equalising.
He threw himself at a shot from Diouf after Nolan had played the ball into his
path.
Bolton kept pushing men forward but that left space at the back and the lively
Gera tested Poole with a close-range effort.
With Kevin Davies getting little change out of the West Brom defence,
Allardyce decided to take off his industrious striker after 57 minutes.
He was replaced by 18-year Ricardo Vaz Te, who has been scoring goals for the
reserves.
Two minutes later Bolton carved out another chance but Nolan cleared the bar
with his chip after Radhi Jaidi has flicked on a long free kick from Bruno
N'Gotty.
Certainly the travelling army were enjoying themselves at this stage of the
game with their team still holding the upper hand.
Bolton, in contrast, were playing with the kind of anxiety that comes with
losing six games on the trot.
They also went into this game having to failed to find the target in their
previous three outings.
Robson introduced pacey Wales striker Robert Earnshaw in the 66th minute for
the tiring Kanu.
Bolton almost drew level in the 73rd minute when Okocha's superb 20-yard
free-kick beat Hoult but came back off the top of the crossbar.
West Brom were being forced to defend deep and Neil Clement made a timely
clearance from Nolan's cutback three minutes later.
Bolton equalised with five minutes remaining when Diouf sent a shot into the
roof of the net after a cross from the right from Hunt.
Hoult then did well to parry Okocha's shot in a grandstand finish by the home
side.
Teams:
Bolton Poole, Hunt, Jaidi, N'Gotty, Gardner, Okocha, Campo,
Speed, Nolan, Davies (Vaz Te 57), Diouf.
Subs Not Used: Pedersen, Oakes, Hierro, Ben Haim.
Goals: Diouf 85.
West Brom Hoult, Scimeca, Purse, Clement, Robinson, Gera,
Johnson, Wallwork, Greening (Albrechtsen 82),
Kanu (Earnshaw 66), Horsfield (Hulse 80).
Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Koumas.
Booked: Kanu.
Goals: Gera 13.
Att: 25,205
Ref: M Dean (Wirral).
E-mail Article 
Print-Friendly
Subscribe to RSS Feed 
Post to del.icio.us
Facebook