Solskjaer puts the boot in on Bolton

Bolton Wanderers 1 Manchester United 1

Sir Alex Ferguson had promised to forgo taking his frustration out on discarded kit in the dressing room and as he is a knight of the realm there is no reason to disbelieve him. But if there was ever a performance designed to have the Manchester United manager lashing out at the nearest innocent boot it was this one.

His team have explored low altitudes this season but they reached new depths in terms of inaccuracy and sloppiness at the Reebok and had they not been playing the Premiership's worst team when it comes to the last minute they would have succumbed to their sixth Premiership defeat of the season. Bolton brought traditional virtues of passion and energy to this Greater Manchester derby; jaded United brought reputation, little more.

They escaped with a draw only because Ole Gunnar Solskjaer grabbed a late goal, but Bolton, who had their first double over the near, if not dear, neighbours since 1979 snatched from their grasp, could hardly say they have not been warned.

They are becoming serial surrenderers of late goals – matches against Blackburn Rovers, Chelsea and West Bromwich Albion are among the offences on their charge sheet – so it was no surprise when Ricardo Gardner gave possession away, Roy Keane fed David Beckham and his low cross to the near post was lashed into the top corner by Solskjaer. The only shock was that Wanderers survived the four minutes of stoppage time without incurring further damage.

"It's total dejection from our point of view," Sam Allardyce, the Bolton manager, said. Unlike the West Bromwich game, we deserved to be ahead and we didn't see out the game. If we don't eradicate it soon it's going to cost us our place in the Premiership. If it was Manchester United's brilliant play I could accept that but we had clear possession. We gave it frivolously away."

Ferguson could point only to United's schedule as explanation for a weary performance. "It's hard enough having a 3pm kick-off after a European tie on Wednesday but 12 noon is hard work," he said. "Bolton were the better team and we could have lost by two or three."

United, who played Arsenal and Juventus in the build-up to this game, looked leg weary. After eight minutes their defence got themselves into a tangle trying to clear Youri Djorkaeff's corner and were still trying to free themselves when Ivan Campo turned and shot just over.

Five minutes later Gary Neville tried an ambitious throw-in across his area and when Wes Brown tried to let it run, Bernard Mendy stole in behind him. Brown recovered sufficiently to muscle the Bolton midfielder out of possession but even then the home team were appealing for a penalty.

The trend was set and Bolton surged on a wave of United errors. Djorkaeff's free-kick was clawed away by Fabien Barthez, Jay-Jay Okocha's goal-bound shot was deflected just wide by Rio Ferdinand and Henrik Pedersen was just fractions away from a glorious pass by Okocha after 23 minutes. Bolton were playing at a fast, furious pace befitting a derby; United looked sluggish by comparison.

Yet the treble chasers should have taken the lead just before half-time. Beckham's corner eluded the Bolton defenders and Brown thundered in to connect cleanly. It was reminiscent of the opener against Juventus except this time the England defender headed up instead of down.

Had that gone in it would have been a gross injustice to Bolton. Instead they took the lead on the hour. Djorkaeff chipped an in-swinging free-kick from the left, Bruno N'Gotty got a touch with his head and Barthez, half-in, half-out, was stranded as the ball went in via the post.

Okocha, whose dribbling disconcerted the visitors all afternoon, might have put Bolton beyond reach with an exciting run and shot from 20 yards that Barthez tipped over the bar, but as the home team's nerves began to come into play, United at last began to move with hitherto untapped assurance.

Roy Keane slipped out of his comfort zone in front of his back four to play a one-two with Diego Forlan after 63 minutes on the edge of the Bolton area. The United captain then tried to place the ball into the corner of the net only to telegraph his intentions sufficiently to allow Jussi Jaaskelainen to dive to his left. Then Campo mishit a pass so that it rebounded off Florent Laville straight into Forlan's path. The Uruguayan's half-chance was reduced by his first touch and eventually he was ushered into a cul-de-sac by the retreating Bolton defenders.

Until Solskjaer's goal it summed up United's day: too many dead ends. "We found something when we needed it," Ferguson said. "We didn't deserve the point, but we got it."

Bolton Wanderers 1 Manchester United 1
N'Gotty 61; Solskjaer 90

Half-time: 0-0 Attendance: 27,409