It's a struggle but Lee and Davies are happy to make their points

This was always going to be an occasion for those with the strongest nerves.

And, by the end of a match that already had the feeling of a relegation six-pointer, both under-pressure managers were staying positive.

For Bolton boss Sammy Lee it offered a little light relief from the problems he has faced thanks to the underachievement of the players he inherited from former manager Sam Allardyce. He said: "We always want to win but we would have accepted a point for this one.

"We know Derby as a well-organised side who'd have been fighting for their lives, so a point here has to be looked at as a point gained."

His Derby opposite number, Billy Davies, added: "People look at where Bolton are and say we should win at home but look at the players they have, top-quality players with a terrific attitude.

"I've been so pleased with the attitude of my own players, their response after the 5-0 beating we took at Arsenal."

Derby opened the scoring on 19 minutes after an exceptional attacking move involving skipper Matt Oakley and Steve Howard.

It was Howard's low cross from the right which cut through the Bolton defence and allowed Kenny Miller to connect with a left-foot, first-time shot past Bolton keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen.

Bolton's conviction earned them the equaliser in the 32nd minute with a goal which had everything to do with the perception and powerful shooting of Nicolas Anelka. He spotted his opportunity and drove in a shot from 20 yards.

If it needed a diversion off Derby defender Dean Leacock, then there was every chance it would have passed on the other side of goalkeeper Stephen Bywater.

Indeed, Lee might have been celebrating victory had El-Hadji Diouf found the target with a header and Anelka's 78th-minute shot had not slammed into the bar.

But Derby had given Bolton a fight all the way for this vital point and it had required an awesome block from Jaaskelainen to deny Miller a second goal three minutes into the second half.

DERBY (4-4-2): Bywater; Mears, Davis, Leacock, McEveley; Oakley, Pearson, Jones (Barnes 64min), Lewis (Teale 84); Howard, Miller. Subs (not used): Earnshaw, Griffin, Moore. Booked: Jones, McEveley, Bywater.

BOLTON (4-1-3-2): Jaaskelainen; J O'Brien (Braaten 71), A O'Brien, Meite, Gardner; Campo; Speed (McCann 62), Nolan, Diouf; Anelka, Davies (Wilhelmsson 59). Subs (not used): Al Habsi, Stelios. Booked: J O'Brien, Diouf.

Referee: R Styles (Hampshire).