Bolton edged a significant step towards Premiership survival after surviving a nail-biting finale to hold Blackburn to a goalless draw at Ewood Park.

Sam Allardyce's Wanderers were a good match for their hosts overall, who still have their eyes on Europe, and go above Leeds in the table.

Despite West Ham's victory over Middlesbrough, safety from relegation is now clearly in sight and the travelling fans celebrated as though they had won the FA Cup.

Despite the importance of the game there was a definite end-of-term feeling at Ewood Park. There may have been plenty to admire in the attacking moves but this was low-risk strategy by both sides.

It had promised much when Bernard Mendy showed phenomenal speed to race past Vratislav Gresko in the second minute. He fired over a low cross that looked dangerous for Rovers until Craig Short slid in to clear, but from then on Gresko had the better of his man.

Damien Duff was the one player who looked at his best for Blackburn - even though he missed the best chance of the match in the dying seconds - and when Bruno N'Gotty's loose clearance landed at his feet he nipped between the Bolton defender and Per Frandsen before bringing a smart save out of Jussi Jaaskelainen at the near-post.

That set the scene for an even game as each team virtually took turns to launch raids. Ivan Campo met Youri Djorkaeff's corner but his header skidded off his curly mop when he should have hit the target.

There was more poor heading but at the other end when Andy Cole dived in to meet Duff's searching centre but was yards wide, the striker then doing better with a superb run into the clear to pick up Duff's pass but Jaaskelainen was off his line sharply and saved with his chest.

Jay Jay Okocha, Bolton's hero against West Ham on Saturday, tried his luck with a swift turn and shot from the edge of the area but did not find the power to test Brad Friedel.

Duff then showed he can be just as magical with a football as the Nigerian when he tormented three Bolton players before N'Gotty finally brought him down on the edge of the area, but David Dunn's subsequent free-kick was wayward.

Garry Flitcroft skewed wide from 20 yards, Djorkaeff cursed himself when his control let him down in a promising area at the other end, then Jaaskelainen pulled off an excellent sprawling save to keep out Duff's low free-kick.

Cole's clever turn early in the second half saw him leave Okocha for dead and feed Duff but when the striker ran onto the return cross he could not find the necessary power with his head.

There was a glorious chance for Bolton after 50 minutes when Djorkaeff bent in a superb free-kick from deep on the right, Campo evaded his marker and made the header but directed the ball wide from five yards.

However, there was also relief for Wanderers when Cole released Duff and Gudni Bergsson's tackle diverted the ball beyond Jaaskelainen but Mendy sprinted back to clear off the line.

Exquisite work by Duff led to Cole teeing up Tugay but the Turkish midfielder sliced badly wide.

There was more exquisite work from Duff in the 60th minute - or it would have been exquisite had he been in a swimming pool - when he threw himself over a challenge in the penalty area. Referee Mike Dean was only a couple of yards away and booked him for his theatrics.

Cole set up Flitcroft for a side-foot shot straight at Jaaskelainen before Friedel produced an excellent parry in the Blackburn goalmouth to keep out Mendy.

As time ticked away, Blackburn twice spurned chances to snatch victory. First Hakan Sukur was left with head in hands after bobbling a shot past the post from 12 yards, then Duff should have made Bolton pay dearly but he slipped just as he seemed certain to score.

Teams

Blackburn Friedel, Neill, Berg (Taylor 55), Short, Gresko, Dunn, Tugay, Flitcroft, Duff, Sukur, Cole.

Subs Not Used: Grabbi, Yorke, Ostenstad, Kelly.

Booked: Duff, Cole.

Bolton Jaaskelainen, Gardner, Bergsson, Laville, N'Gotty, Frandsen (Nolan 84), Campo, Djorkaeff (Andre 60), Mendy, Pedersen, Okocha.

Subs Not Used: Whitlow, Barness, Poole.

Booked: Laville, Campo, Mendy.

Att: 28,862

Ref: M Dean (Wirral).