An own goal by Republic of Ireland international Phil Babb handed Bolton a barely-deserved point Monday as they fought out a scrappy 1-1 draw with fellow Premiership strugglers Sunderland.
Both remain firmly-rooted to the bottom two places but it may be Sunderland - a point ahead of Bolton - who suffer longer-term as they lost goalkeeper Thomas Myhre and American international midfielder Claudio Reyna to injuries in the first-half adding to new manager Howard Wilkinson's worries.
Sunderland had taken the lead late in the first-half as Michael Gray - their longest serving Sunderland player - seized on Ivan Campo's dreadful header.
He unleashed a vicious left-footed shot from 32 yards out which beat Jussi Jaaskelainen and went in off the post for his first goal in 23 months.
Babb scored his second own goal of the season - the other one coming in the Republic of Ireland's 4-2 Euro 2004 qualifier defeat by Russia - when he needlessly headed it past Jurgen Macho after fellow Irish international Kevin Kilbane had miscued his clearance.
Sunderland should have regained the lead immediately as Tore-Andre Flo, who had come on to boos after replacing the still goalless Kevin Phillips, went clear but with just Jaaskelainen to beat he snatched at his shot and sent it crashing into the stands.
Bolton created little before that, their best chance had come in the 73rd minute when a mix-up between Macho and Kevin McCann almost allowed Michael Ricketts in to level the game but the ball was eventually cleared.
Reyna's departure in the 39th minute cost Sunderland dear in the creative department when he twisted his knee trying to tackle Youri Djorkaeff and left for hospital with it heavily strapped.