Wanderers faced another tough Burton trip but showed character in the second half to secure a point on the road.

Mark Helm opened the scoring early in the second half but the Whites hit back through Dion Charles on his return to the side.

Ian Evatt made three changes from the side that was beaten by Wigan, with Charles returning from suspension in place of Dan Nlundulu.

The tenacious forward partnered Victor Adeboyejo, who started against his former club. The 25-year-old scored 13 goals for the Brewers during the first half of last season.

George Thomason and Paris Maghoma came into the midfield, while Aaron Morley and Josh Sheehan dropped to the bench.

Jon Dadi Bodvarsson was also on the bench, having made his first appearance of the campaign during the final 14 minutes against Wigan after recovering from an injury sustained against Salford in pre-season.

However, Eoin Toal didn’t make the squad as he continues his journey back from an ankle problem picked up while on international duty with Northern Ireland over the summer.

The hosts came out of the blocks at a frantic pace, pressing relentlessly and asking plenty of questions of the Bolton backline.

The Whites had an early let off when Bobby Kamwa pounced on an error by Jack Iredale and went round Nathan Baxter before hitting the post from a tight angle. Ricardo Santos did well to get and put the attacker under pressure.

Kamwa, who looked lively during the opening 45 minutes, then dragged an effort wide of the near post.

Wanderers managed to weather the early storm and started to dictate the play, with Max Crocombe making a smart stop at his near post to keep out Randell Williams’ deflected strike.

Evatt’s men were almost hit with a sucker punch at the end after a lapse in concentration from Nathan Baxter, but Rekeem Harper could only send a low drive wide.

Ricardo Santos also had to make an important interception as Kamwa was about to be sent through on goal after a quick counter attack.

Joe Powell, who bombarded the Bolton box with set-pieces, picked out John Brayford with a deep corner on the half-hour mark but the defender couldn’t keep his header down.

Wanderers began to have more joy in the final third as the half went on, with George Thomason dragging an effort wide.

Charles then tried to bend one into the bottom corner from the edge of the box after some good work by Paris Maghoma, but his strike was held by Crocombe.

Randell Williams slipped in the Northern Irish international with a clever through ball on the stroke of half time, but the Burton stopper managed to gather the ball after some brave goalkeeping.

Wanderers were forced into a change at half-time, with Santos making way for Will Forrester. The skipper had been struggling after being caught by a late challenge in the early stages.

The second half got off to a nightmare start for the Whites as Helm was left free at the far post and slotted home following an attack down the right flank.

Adeboyejo nearly provided an immediate response but his acrobatic volley was blocked in front of goal by Brayford. The Burton defender didn’t seem to know much about it, in truth.

Maghoma also fired an effort over from inside the box after latching onto Iredale’s drilled pass from the resulting corner.

It wasn’t long before Evatt’s men got back on level terms, with Charles keeping his cool to take the ball away from the onrushing Crocombe and fire into the empty net after combining with Kyle Dempsey.

The momentum had swung in Wanderers’ favour and Dempsey played Charles through on goal again moments later, but this time the offside flag came to Burton’s rescue.

The hosts also posed a threat in the final third and thought they had regained the lead after a spot of pinball in the box, but Josh Dacres-Cogley made an important clearance.

The end-to-end nature continued as Maghoma teed up Williams, who could only fire into the side netting midway through the second half.

Adeboyejo then missed a big opportunity to put his side in front, with Crocombe making a brilliant reaction stop from close range after some good wing play by Dacres-Cogley.

The forward bad plenty of joy at the Pirelli Stadium during his time at Burton, but it was starting to look like one of those days.

Evatt made a triple change in an attempt to seize control of the game, with Josh Sheehan, Carlos Mendes Gomes and Cameron Jerome replacing Maghoma, Dempsey and Adeboyejo.

Mendes Gomes was immediately involved in the action, seeing a volley from the edge of the area held by Crocombe.

Dacres-Cogley continued to have joy on the right and Charles was inches from reaching his inviting cross with a diving header.

Dan Nlundulu also joined the fray in the final stages, but the Whites couldn’t find a late winner against the Brewers.

Baxter, Jones, Santos (Forrester 46), Iredale, Dacres-Cogley, Thomason, Maghoma (Sheehan 73), Williams, Dempsey (Mendes Gomes 73), Charles (Nlundulu 81), Adeboyejo (Jerome 73). Unused: Morley, Bodvarsson.