Bolton on brink as Baggies roar back

If Bolton were hoping that West Brom may have taken their eye off the ball with safety secured and their manager confirmed as England boss they were sorely mistaken, as Roy Hodgson’s Baggies grabbed a dramatic draw to deal the Trotters’ chances of survival a major blow.

After Martin Petrov’s first-half penalty and an own goal from Billy Jones, Bolton looked set for a vital three points in the battle for survival, but just three minutes after the Trotters took a two-goal advantage, Chris Brunt pulled one back to set up a nervy final 15 minutes.

And the Trotters failed to hold their nerve as Republic of Ireland striker Simon Cox found fellow substitute James Morrison unmarked in the area and he slotted in the crushing equaliser.

Now a win at Stoke may not be enough for Owen Coyle’s side if QPR get an unlikely point against Manchester City next weekend, with Bolton’s goal difference far inferior to that of Rangers, but Coyle remained defiant.

He said: “There’s no getting away from how disappointing it was to draw the game, a game we were well placed to win.

“At 2-0 we should have seen it out and had the three points that we craved. My disappointment is that we have allowed that to slip away. We will dust ourselves down and take our medicine and we will pick ourselves up. We have to pick ourselves up. If we win that game I truly believe we will stay up.”

The breakthrough came in the 24th minute as Youssouf Mulumbu and Keith Andrews both hacked down Mark Davies in the area and Petrov calmly tucked away the resulting spot kick.

Something out of the ordinary was needed to inject some life into the game after a drab opening to the second half and it came when Liam Ridgewell panicked as he looked to deal with a Petrov cross in the 72nd minute and his rushed clearance cannoned off the helpless Jones and into Foster’s goal.

Then just three minutes later Brunt curled home after the ball fell into this path just 12 yards from goal, before Cox replaced Graham Dorrans with nine minutes to go.

The move would pay off and cheers of “there’s only one Roy Hodgson” came from the visiting support as Bolton searched unsuccessfully for a third goal after Cox had laid on Morrison’s equaliser.

Hodgson’s assistant Keith Downing revealed how the new England boss was keen to pay tribute to the travelling Baggies support.

He said: “He was very honoured that there were 4,500 people showing up in England shirts.

“Supporters have a great warmth for Roy and he wanted to show that feeling back.”