Crisis-hit Bolton fight back for a point to send Charlton into bottom three
Charlton joined crisis-hit Bolton in the Sky Bet Championship relegation zone after they shared a draw at the Valley.
Ademola Lookman gave Charlton a two-goal lead within the opening half-hour, but the advantage was surrendered before half-time as Emile Heskey and Josh Vela responded for the last-placed visitors.
It was a creditable fightback from Bolton, whose players have yet to receive their wages for the month of November, after the club were last week served with a winding-up petition by HM Revenue and Customs over an unpaid tax bill.
Charlton wore black armbands to mark the death of academy coach Steve Adams, who was killed on Sunday in a car crash aged 34.
It took the home side just 25 seconds to go ahead.
Ricardo Vaz Te ran unchallenged through his former team's midfield before playing Lookman into space in the area, from where the 18-year-old, gifted with as much time as he required, calmly finished beyond goalkeeper Ben Amos from close range.
It was hardly the start that a Bolton already sapped of confidence would have hoped for and, while they did show a response after falling behind, Lookman bagged a second after 26 minutes.
Reza Ghoochannejhad's classy backheel found Vaz Te in the penalty area and when his low cutback across the penalty area evaded Bolton's defence, Lookman was positioned at the back post to score into a near-open goal.
Bolton's first goal came six minutes later and when there appeared little threat.
Liam Feeney fired in an inswinging cross from the right, more out of hope than expectation, and was rewarded as Charlton's static defending meant it found Heskey who touched in from close range past Stephen Henderson.
Bolton's confidence continued to grow, the talented Zach Clough particularly posed a threat, and with it the pressure on Charlton.
Shortly after Feeney had curled a left-footed shot over the crossbar, Clough sent another cross into the penalty area which, when cleared, fell to Vela from 25 yards from where the midfielder powerfully shot first time towards the bottom-left corner and through the diving Henderson's fumbling hands.
Shortly after the injured Vela was removed on a stretcher, Charlton came the closest of either team to securing the winning goal.
A curling Ghoochannejhad corner was met by Harry Lennon with a header that bounced up off the turf and onto the underside of the crossbar before being cleared.
Thereafter, simply, a lack of quality ensured a winning goal continued to elude.
Source: PA
