At half-time the Baggies had even looked good value for all three points after they bossed the first 45 minutes and were only denied a deserved goal by a flying stop from Jussi Jaaskelainen after James Morrison's 25-yard curler looked destined for the top corner.

In the second half it was a different story, however, and it took an equally brilliant save from Scott Carson to deny substitute Riga Mustapha and keep the visitors on level terms.

Bolton also saw Kevin Davies have two late goals chalked off by referee Keith Stroud for offside, while West Brom could also have won it when Do-Heon Kim saw a cracking drive bounce down off the crossbar onto the line and then out into the path of Ishmael Miller, whose shot was parried to safety by Jaaskelainen.

"I think it was a game we could easily have got three points from but we could easily have lost it as well," Mowbray said.

"The pleasing thing was that we stood up to the bombardment that came our way, and there are hopefully a few other additions to come that will help us cope with teams like Bolton and the questions they ask you.

"Bolton are a very, very physically set-up team. You don't need me to tell you that.

"That's what their game is about. There's a bit of intimidation, and there's a lot of balls put into your box. I've never known a more physical team get so many free-kicks.

"Did I read somewhere that Kevin Davies was the most fouled player and yet gave the most fouls away in the Premier League last year?

"That's the team they are and you have just got to withstand it."

One or two of the West Brom side appeared to think that Kim's strike had crossed the line before it bounced out - but Mowbray was happy to take the word of the referee and his assistant, who looked to have made the correct decision in any case.

"I'm not interested if the ball was over the line or not," he added.

"The referee is the one who makes the decision along with the linesman, so it doesn't matter what I think.

"I'm not going to say if it was a goal or not. It doesn't matter. It was 0-0."

Bolton boss Gary Megson was also questioned about the referee after the game, with the two offside decisions not the only focus of debate.

On more than one occasion the Wanderers were given a free-kick right on the edge of the penalty area - one of which led to Carson's wonder save from Riga - with the home players, and supporters, feeling at least one of the offences took place inside the penalty area.

In fairness, both offside calls looked to be correct decisions, but Megson's overall response was by the book and in keeping with the new "Respect" campaign.

"I haven't seen (the offside goals) again so it would be wrong of me to say anything either way," Megson said.

"If he has got them right, good luck to him.

"But they were obviously both close decisions - as were the three free-kicks in the second half that were all given on the edge of the 18-yard line.

"But you have to trust the referee and he hasn't got the luxury of having seen it all over again, so we'll abide by it.

"We haven't got any choice in it really but we abide by what he has given and we fully respect the referee."

After the midweek horror show against Northampton, Wanderers at least resembled a top-flight side again - and Megson felt that if they had nicked a late goal, it would not have been undeserved.

"I thought territorially we had most of the game, although West Brom were always dangerous on the break because they have got a lot of quality in their team," he added.

"Most of the pressure in the game came from ourselves and the quality of that pressure was a lot better in the second 45 minutes."