Allardyce able to find reason for optimism

Blackburn Rovers 0 Bolton Wanderers

A damo squib of a derby left Graeme Souness exasperated but Sam Allardyce ecstatic, despite West Ham's win taking some of the sheen off what would otherwise have been rated a respectable draw for Bolton away to a Blackburn side who still harbour hopes of qualifying for the Uefa Cup.

Allardyce, whose team had opened a six-point lead over West Ham by beating them on Saturday, saw that advantage trimmed to four points. Yet, when asked whether it had been a good or a bad day in the relegation dogfight, the Bolton manager struck a defiantly upbeat tone.

"It's been a very good day for us," Allardyce answered with one eye on the psychological struggle at the foot of the Premiership. "We're another point closer to the 40-plus points mark and we've got another clean sheet, our fifth in six matches of which we've lost only one.

"Whatever happened today it was important that we got something out of this one. We're four points ahead of West Ham with only three matches left, whereas two games ago the gap was only three points. The form we're in at the moment suggests we won't lose the last three, and that should be enough."

If only it were that simple. Bolton's next fixture, at the Reebok Stadium, pits them against a team whose hunger should comfortably match their own; namely Arsenal. West Ham go to Manchester City, where anything can happen and who have "nothing to play for" in the football vernacular. That is not to overlook Leeds. As Sir Alex Ferguson would have it, "squeaky-bum time" has arrived at Elland Road.

Given the stakes here, the lack of intensity on the pitch and fervour in the stands was curious. Perhaps some of the players did not appreciate the "local" element – the starting line-ups contained only four British players – but that did not explain why the crowd were as subdued as if watching a pre-season friendly.

Damien Duff often waged a one-man campaign against the torpor, illustrating why he is coveted by Liverpool and Manchester United. Duff frequently sucked in three defenders, which should have opened up space for colleagues. But David Dunn performed fitfully, Hakan Sukur languidly and Andy Cole without confidence.

Cole, who last scored in the League in December, perpetrated one of the misses of the season by heading yards wide with the goal at his mercy following Duff's 20th-minute cross. Jussi Jaaskelainen then narrowed the angle well to thwart Cole after Duff's deft through-pass, and the Republic of Ireland winger also had a scuffed effort cleared off the line by Bernard Mendy early in the second half.

Bolton broke out to create chances of their own as the contest wore on. Ivan Campo headed wastefully wide after a free-kick by Youri Djorkaeff, while another set-piece, curled in by Jay-Jay Okocha from 30 yards, ruffled the roof of the net with Brad Friedel scrambling to get across.

Souness, having seen Duff miskick in front of goal in stoppage time, said: "I'm going home frustrated. We played very well considering it was our second match in three days. We just needed to take one of our chances. Bolton rode their luck at times, but all credit to them – they defended well and were very resolute."

Blackburn Rovers (4-4-2): Friedel 6; Neill 6, Berg 6 (Martin Taylor 5, 56), Short 7, Gresko 6; Dunn 6, Tugay 7, Flitcroft 6, Duff 8; Hakan 3, Cole 5. Substitutes not used: Grabbi, Yorke, Ostenstad, Kelly (gk).

Bolton Wanderers (3-4-1-2): Jaaskelainen 7; N'Gotty 6, Laville 7, Bergsson 6; Mendy 6, Campo 6, Frandsen 5, Gardner 5; Okocha 7; Pedersen 5 (Nolan, 84), Djorkaeff 5 (André 4, 60). Substitutes not used: Barness, Whitlow, Poole (gk).

Referee: M Dean (Merseyside) 7.