Charlton clung on for a precious point in their fight to beat the drop after withstanding a sustained second half assault at the Reebok Stadium.

Henrik Pedersen had headed the home side into a sixth-minute lead but the Addicks were only behind for six minutes before Jussi Jaaskelainen let Talal El Karkouri's free-kick through his fingers.

Pedersen, Kevin Nolan and Ivan Campo all had clear chances to win the game for Sam Allardyce's men but Jerome Thomas could also have won it for the visitors with a late counter-attack.

With Kevin Davies missing with an ankle injury and El-Hadji Diouf suspended, it did not take long for Pedersen to seize his chance in only his second start of the season.

The Dane met Gary Speed's precise cross from the left with a well-timed glancing header which sailed across the stretching Scott Carson and into the corner of the net.

Pedersen was posing plenty of early problems for the Charlton back-line, getting another shot off before being ruled offside, as the home side started confidently.

But just when they seemed set to build on their lead, Jaaskelainen's uncharacteristic error handed the grateful visitors a way back into the match.

El Karkouri fired an innocuous-looking free-kick low through the Bolton wall in the 12th minute but the ball bounced out of the keeper's normally safe hands and over the line.

Bryan Hughes survived a penalty appeal against him in the 14th minute after clambering above Kevin Nolan in the box, as Bolton began pressing in a bid to regain their advantage.

Greek midfielder Stelios Giannakopoulos forced brave Carson to snatch the ball away from his feet and Campo shot weakly straight at the keeper as more goals looked likely.

But for all Pedersen's fine efforts Bolton were looking weak in the striker department and their problems worsened in the 26th minute when Nicolas Anelka was forced off in the 33rd minute.

With Jaaskelainen looking unusually jittery at the back, the visitors looked to have a chance with from the occasional counter-attack as a slow and niggly affair drifted towards the half-time break.

While the length of time spent by Carson over his free-kicks said everything about the visitors' intentions, Bolton poured forward after the interval with a renewed vigour.

Pedersen volleyed straight at Carson, Nolan almost bundled the ball home from close range after Abdoulaye Faye's header into the box, and substitute Andranik Teymourian also found the keeper's arms.

Charlton countered well through Thomas, in particular on the hour when he found space on the left to run at the home defence, before a bright move petered out with a miscued cross.

Bolton boss Sam Allardyce made his substitution moments later and it was another attacking one, with Portuguese striker Ricardo Vaz Te replacing Giannakopoulos, who had worked hard for little reward.

Campo's dangerous free-kick into the box in the 65th minute was headed firmly over his own crossbar by Hermann Hreidarsson as the visitors found themselves pinned back in their own half again.

Then the home side were gifted their best chance after hesitation over a back-pass by El Karkouri allowed Pedersen in on goal only for Carson to swipe the ball half-clear.

After pinging around the box the loose ball fell to Nolan, who could only scoop it over from fewer than 15 yards out with Carson beaten.

Charlton still managed to have create clear chances on the rare occasions they crossed the half-way line, with Bryan Hughes shooting over and Thomas hitting a low effort straight at Jaaskelainen.

Teams

Bolton Jaaskelainen, Hunt, Meite, Faye (Ben Haim 67), Gardner,Nolan, Campo, Speed, Pedersen, Anelka (Teymourian 32),Giannakopoulos (Vaz Te 61).

Subs Not Used: Walker, Tal.

Goals: Pedersen 6.

Charlton Carson, Sankofa, El Karkouri, Hreidarsson, Thatcher,Rommedahl (Lisbie 74), Faye, Holland, Hughes (Diawara 84),Thomas, Marcus Bent (Hasselbaink 85).

Subs Not Used: Randolph, Ambrose.

Booked: El Karkouri.

Goals: El Karkouri 12.

Att: 22,357

Ref: L Probert (Gloucestershire).