Wanderers 1, Blackburn Rovers 1: WANDERERS were stunned by a last kick equaliser by Blackburn Rovers skipper Craig Short.

It was the second successive home game a late goal has cost them points after Chelsea's recent draw at the Reebok.

But with West Ham pegged back at Midlesbrough despite almost snatching a win, Wanderers have moved closer to the safety zone, although Sunderland meet Manchester City in the Sky TV game on Monday.

Blackburn looked to be heading for a third defeat in four Premiership games after Jay Jay Okocha had fired Bolton into a first half lead.

But with just seconds left Short then connected with a Dwight Yorke cross to nod home an amazing equaliser to leave the home side shattered.

Graeme Souness handed a surprise Premiership debut to 17-year-old defender Jay McEveley and the Academy youngster got a rude awakening as Wanderers snatched the lead with the game barely 10 minutes old.

Per Frandsen flighted pass into the box was headed down by Henrik Pederson for Okocha to smash home

the opener with his left foot from 18 yards.

Pedersen then went close to grabbing a second when he burst clear on the right but Brad Friedel denied him with a point blank save.

After that, Rovers dominated proceedings but they couldn't turn their possession into goals.

Andy Cole missed his kick after David Thompson had drilled a low cross-shot across the face of goal and

Gudni Bergsson then deflected another Thompson effort wide of the post.

Aside from Okocha's early strike, Rovers also had to contend with an early injury to David Dunn which saw

him replaced by Tugay in the 10th minute.

Both sides had chances in an end-to-end second half.

Okocha fired after some clever foot-work on the edge of the box and Youri Djorkaeff missed his kick with the goal at his mercy.

Then Rovers missed a great chance to equalise when Andy Cole laid the ball into the patch of Yorke but his

shot from 10 yards bounced back off the crossbar.

That appeared to be that but Short then had the last laugh to stun Sam Allardyce's men.

WANDERERS: Jaaskelainen, Barness, Campo, Bergsson, Charlton, Warhurst, Frandsen, Okocha, Gardner, Djorkaeff, Pederson. Subs: Poole, Nolan, Ricketts, Livesey, Tofting

ROVERS: Friedel, Neill, McEveley, Short, Taylor, Flitcroft, Dunn, Thompson, Cole, Yorke, Duff. Subs: Kelly, Ostenstad, Johansson, Todd, Tugay

Referee: N Barry