ZAC Ashworth grabbed a point with Wanderers in a breathless game against promotion-rivals Barnsley.

The West Brom loanee claimed his second goal in three games, heading home a perfect cross from debutant Aaron Collins just moments after he had entered the game from the bench.

Bolton had conceded a soft opening goal in the fourth minute and might consider themselves a little fortunate not to have leaked at least one more – with Adam Phillips missing one sitter and Nathan Baxter pulling off a marvellous save to deny Cole a second.

But Collins sparked a revival and he nearly got a fairytale start to his Whites career with a few minutes left, a rasping deflected shot bringing a fine stop from Liam Roberts.

Wanderers gave a debut to deadline day signing Caleb Taylor, who played in the middle of the back three alongside Jack Iredale and Eoin Toal, passed fit after an Achillies problem.

The Whites set an encouraging early pace but were rocked on their heels after Barnsley scored with their first attack. A long throw was flicked on by Adam Phillips and Devante Cole got in ahead of his marker to score his 17th of the season.

For the rest of the first half, Bolton dominated possession and territory, but the Tykes’ threat on the break never really went away, particularly as they seemed intent on giving their opponents a chance. Phillps should have made it 2-0 midway through the half after Josh Sheehan had been caught on the ball and John McAtee launched a quick break, but he steered a shot just wide of the post.

Jack Iredale had Bolton’s best chance of the half, heading over the bar unmarked at the far post from Sheehan’s corner.

Several times, Josh Daces-Cogley and Kyle Dempsey got into the Barnsley box to pull back good crosses, only to find a man in black, rather than white.

Referee Leigh Doughty took a fairly lenient approach, booking McAtee only after several nibbles at Sheehan. Iredale was fortunate not to join him after a couple of indiscretions went unpunished.

With £750,000 signing Aaron Collins looking on from the bench, the spotlight was on Dion Charles and Victor Adeboyejo to show why they had got the starting spot. Both worked hard but could not come up with the moment of quality their side needed in the first half.

Wanderers were straight on the offensive after the break and Iredale got on the end of yet another corner – this time from Zac Ashworth – but only steered a header wide.

But once again they piled pressure on themselves, struggling to break through the visitors’ high press and giving away possession as the match descended into a complete mess.

Sheehan coughed the ball up 25 yards from his own goal with Luca Connell slipping a pass through for Cole. Baxter came to Bolton’s rescue with a superb save, reacting well moments later when Phillips crashed a long range effort through a sea of legs.

Wanderers fans made their feelings known Bolton’s back line was creaking under pressure, McAtee missing another big chance when played in by Cole – and that prompted Ian Evatt into a change from the bench, with Collins brought on for his debut alongside Jon Dadi Bodvarsson.

Within a couple of minutes – indeed, with Collins’ first meaningful touch – he pulled out to the right and curled a magnificent cross, buried at the far post by the head of Ashworth The former Bristol Rovers man could hardly have wished for a better start and with 72 minutes on the clock, he teed up Maghoma for another big chance, fired frustratingly over the bar.

Caleb Taylor pulled up with what appeared to be cramp. The problem eventually forced him off the pitch and meant a defensive reshuffled, with Calvin Ramsay coming on and Dacres-Cogley moving into the middle.

Liverpool loanee Ramsay produced a brilliant ball from the right to find Bodvarsson with 15 minutes left, but the Icelander could only flick his shot into the side netting.

The game remained finely poised. Jordan Williams had one effort deflected wide which could have been controversial, with Paris Maghoma feeling he had been obstructed by the referee as he tried to carry the ball away from goal moments earlier.

Wanderers lost their zip a little in the closing stages but with the Tykes visibly tiring they nearly grabbed a winner right at the death, Collins getting the wrong side of Earl and crashing a deflected shot that was clawed away by Liam Roberts.

Five minutes of added time was shown by the fourth official, at which point the Whites threw everything at the win.

Collins had another skimming shot from the edge of the box but Barnsley held on to claim a point from a game that could genuinely have gone either way.