FA Premiership/West Bromwich Albion 0 Bolton 0: West Brom failed to grasp the Premiership lifeline handed them by Portsmouth as Diomansy Kamara's glaring second-half miss meant they had to share the spoils with the Trotters.

Albion were given a massive incentive to end a nine-game run without a victory after Pompey's defeat at Charlton earlier in the day.

But Kamara stabbed wide their best opportunity when it looked easier to score in an uninspiring game which seldom moved out of second gear and leaves the Baggies three points adrift of Harry Redknapp's side.

In the end they were relieved not to beaten with Bolton skipper Kevin Nolan stabbing wide with the goal at his mercy in injury time.

Given that Pompey entertain bottom side Sunderland on Saturday, Albion may now need to win their last three games to retain realistic hopes of survival.

A point was also of little advantage to Bolton in their fading quest for a UEFA Cup spot although it did at least halt a sequence of five successive defeats.

Unsurprisingly there was a tense atmosphere around the ground given what was at stake for the Baggies and this was reflected in the play during an opening 45 minutes of few moments of danger.

Albion central defender Curtis Davies has been attracting the interest of top clubs such as Arsenal and he produced a solid tackle to halt Nolan's surging run into the Baggies penalty area.

Curtis Davies then ventured forward to meet a corner from Baggies midfielder Jonathan Greening but was unable to keep his header down.

Albion, still lacking injured striker Nathan Ellington, conceded a free-kick just outside their own box but Jay-Jay Okocha's curling shot deflected off the head of Kamara for a corner.

Nolan was only just too high with a powerful header from Ricardo Gardner's cross although West Brom 'keeper Tomasz Kuszczak appeared to have it covered.

Bolton, who were operating with a 4-3-3 formation, slowly started to gain the upper hand and looked the more likely to make the breakthrough.

Nigel Quashie, who had scored Albion's goal against Arsenal on Saturday, tried his luck from 25 yards out but his drive flew high and wide.

The first clear-cut chance came after 37 minutes and it needed a reflex save from Jussi Jaaskelainen to keep Bolton on level terms.

A throw from Steve Watson was flicked on by Kevin Campbell and Zoltan Gera got in a header which took a deflection of Abdoulaye Faye before Jaaskelainen was able to palm away to his right.

The home fans were finally stirred into life and Kamara almost broke through the Bolton rearguard with a determined run although in the end the ball ran harmlessly through to Jaaskelainen.

The first half chance of the second period fell to Bolton midfielder Hidetoshi Nakata but he dragged his shot from the edge of the Baggies box across the face of goal.

Kevin Davies looked offside when he found some space on the right flank and his low cross only just eluded the run into the six-yard area of Stelios Giannakopoulos.

A free-kick from Paul Robinson picked out the run of Steve Watson at the far post and he lobbed the ball back across goal but Kamara's close control let him down.

A quick break involving Kamara and Greening almost found a way through the Bolton defence but Gera's control was lacking at the crucial moment.

Greening produced some fine skill to create some space for himself on the left before delivering an inviting cross which no-one could connect with in the centre.

A shot from the edge of the area by the former Middlesbrough player was comfortably dealt with by Jaaskelainen.

The Albion fans raised one of the biggest cheers of the night when substitute Kanu started to warm up midway through the half.

One sensed a growing frustration that their side had barely had a shot in anger from a match they needed to win to have a realistic chance of staying in the top flight.

But after 72 minutes Kamara missed a golden opportunity to put them ahead.

Gera's cross into the box was flicked on by Campbell and Kamara looked favourite to score at the far post but he prodded the ball wide.

Kanu replaced Campbell shortly afterwards and announced his arrival with a fizzing drive which was just off target but then came that late Nolan miss.