Blackburn battle after Cole sees red

Happily, there was more to Souness's complaint than just pure venom, as the Scot suggested that those players subsequently shown to have feigned serious injury in order to get an opponent sent off should be open to sanction from the FA.

'That should be the case, I think it 100 per cent,' added Souness.

'I don't see why conmen shouldn't be punished retrospectively with the help of video evidence. It works the other way round doesn't it?

'On another day, Andy could have caused someone serious injury. I can't condone what he did.

'But the worst part of today's sending-off was the play-acting. Just what the hell was that all about?'

Understandably, Bolton manager Sam Allardyce took a different view of the incident, which perhaps said everything for just how much this fixture meant to two teams struggling for survival in a division they joined only at the start of the season.

Allardyce was keen not to inflame the situation and declined to give his view on whether there was any incident in the players' tunnel at half- time and after the match, matters which are now subject to a police investigation.

The Bolton manager was adamant, however, that Whitlow should be absolved of any blame for Cole's red card. Allardyce said: 'If you retaliate then it's a sending off these days.

'There's no serious damage to Mike but he was kicked by Andy Cole. He wouldn't have stayed down unless he had really felt it.

'But these matches are heated. These things happen. I'm more disappointed that we haven't won the game. I feel bloody awful about that.'

Certainly Bolton should have earned their second consecutive home win after Cole left the field in only the 19th minute.

That they did not says something about the nerves that seemed to afflict them in the last half-hour and even more about the fact that they appear short of the genuine quality they need to survive. New signing Youri Djorkaeff enjoyed an effective, diligent afternoon of hard work and trickery, that will have done much to dispel any suggestions that he is only in Lancashire for a pre-World Cup holiday, and the promising Kevin Nolan was an equally impressive figure.

Elsewhere, however, Bolton appeared a little pedestrian at times and too predictable. Ultimately it cost them.

Rod Wallace put them ahead seconds before half-time after a dreadful error by Blackburn defender Henning Berg.

The home team would certainly have won the game had Wallace, Nolan and substitute Michael Ricketts taken their chances during the moments of dominance that marked the beginning of the second period. But Souness showed great courage to introduce wingers Keith Gillespie and Damien Duff into a re- shaped 3-4-2 formation for the final 30 minutes and it was rewarded handsomely.

Matt Jansen's equaliser came out of nothing in the 68th minute as he swivelled to rifle an unstoppable shot across Jussi Jaaskelainen from the corner of the penalty area.

But Blackburn were the better team from then on and could have taken an unlikely three points had Jansen and Duff enjoyed more fortune with late attempts.

Souness will no doubt feel angry about the events of a cold afternoon for a few days to come, but when he reflects in calmer moments he may do so with some satisfaction.

Blackburn should prove too good to go down. For Bolton, however, the fight to survive may last a little longer.