Giannakopoulos has been so often the matchwinner for the Wanderers this term but his 63rd minute strike from close range was to only lead to a draw as substitute Andreas Johansson rescued a point for the Latics thirteen minutes from the end.

The opening exchanges started with both sides still getting a tentative feel for the game but it was home side Bolton who could have so easily have taken the lead with the first chance on four minutes when Jussi Jaaskelainen's long punt upfield fell the way of Matt Jansen.

Jansen was foiled by Wigan's veteran goalkeeper Mike Pollitt and the resulting rebound was cleared upfield by the visitors before another shot could be fired in by the Trotters forward line.

A few minutes later Kevin Davies held the ball up well down the Bolton right to enable youngster Joey O'Brien to fire in a pinpoint delivery of which midfielder Hidetoshi Nakata volleyed into the arms of Pollitt at the far post.

The Farnworth-born custodian Pollitt was again kept busy as Giannakopoulos misleading free kick was delivered into the area at pace and soonafter the ex-Blackburn strike duo Davies and Jansen combined well to keep the former Rotherham United Player of the season on his toes.

On 20 minutes disaster struck for the Trotters as midfielder Khalilou Fadiga tried to play the ball from right to left only to collapse in a heap and leave the field of play with a knee injury which is likely to see him miss the rest of the season.

Right back Nicky Hunt entered into the proceedings to replace the injured Fadiga with O'Brien moving back into the midfield area alongside Nakata and club captain Kevin Nolan.

Eight minutes before the interval on-loan Wigan forward Neil Mellor missed the best chance of the half as he blazed wide of Jaaskelainen's goal after combining well with team mate Paul Scharner to unlock the Bolton defence.

At half time Sam Allardyce rejigged his front line as Ricardo Vaz-Te came on in place of Jansen and Davies moved back into the middle of the front three to accomodate the Portuguese youngster.

Less than ten minutes later the Wanderers boss was forced into his third and final change as Jared Borgetti came on in place of Davies who had moments earlier received extensive treament at pitchside for an ankle injury.

Vaz-Te was to make an immediate impact on Bolton's plans as the game began to step up a pace. Firstly the 19-year old acrobatically fired over the bar and then delivered a teasing right wing cross which fellow substitute Borgetti headed goal bound only to be kept out by the excellent Pollitt.

On 63 minutes there was little the Wigan keeper could do about the opening goal as Bruno N'Gotty's free kick from the right was pumped into the area and a mistake by Austrian sweeper Scharner allowed Giannakopoulos to nip in for his second goal in a week.

Wigan boss Paul Jewell followed the lead of his opposite number when introducing fresh blood into the action as eventual hero Johansson and David Thompson came on in place of Mellor and England U21 full back Leighton Baines.

Nolan and Vaz-Te both had chances to put Bolton further in front but their skilfull attempts on goal where either kept out by Pollitt or going wide into the Family Stand.

The visitors equalised with just over ten minutes of the match remaining as ex-Spurs winger Reto Ziegler fired in a powerful free kick which Jaaskelainen saved only to see Johansson on hand to net the rebound with his first Premiership goal since moving to the Latics.

This goal perked up Wigan and a short spell of pressure followed in the final few moments but a collection of good goalkeeping and mis-timed finishing ensured that the first meeting between the two sides at the Reebok Stadium ended all square.

Bolton will now be hoping for better success on the road next weekend as they meet Arsenal at Highbury for the last time ever.

Bolton Wanderers: Jussi Jaaskelainen, Joey O'Brien, Tal Ben-Haim, Bruno N'Gotty, Ricardo Gardner, Kevin Nolan, Khalilou Fadiga (Nicky Hunt), Hidetoshi Nakata, Stelios Giannakopoulos, Matt Jansen (Ricardo Vaz-Te), Kevin Davies (Jared Borgetti)

Subs Not Used: Ian Walker, Jarostaw Fojut

Wigan Athletic: Mike Pollitt, Pascal Chimbonda, Stephane Henchoz, Arjan De Zeeuw, Leighton Baines (David Thompson), Jimmy Bullard, Paul Scharner, Graham Kavanagh, Gary Teale, Reto Ziegler, Neil Mellor (Andreas Johansson)

Subs Not Used: Gary Walsh, Matt Jackson, Damien Francis

Referee:

Steve Bennett

Attendance:

25,854

Booked:

Neil Mellor (Wigan)

Pascal Chimbonda (Wigan)

Stephane Henchoz (Wigan)

David Thompson (Wigan)

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