For a side whose first game together saw them thrashed 6-1 by Rotherham United just seven days ago, it is a mark of how far Bolton have come so quickly that they can feel immensely unlucky not to have come away from their clash with pre-season promotion favourites Sunderland with just a point, which would surely have been three but for a late stoppage time penalty from Aiden McGeady.

That however will be of little consolation to Sunderland boss Jack Ross, who having seen his side held by that same Rotherham team in midweek, will be acutely aware that that late point will have done little to lift the pressure on his position at the Stadium of Light.

In contrast to that, new Bolton manager Keith Hill will be able to take so much from the problems his side's attack caused Sunderland in the first half, and the immense challenge they posed to the Black Cats attack as they went searching for an equaliser in the second, following Jack Hobbs' opener just minutes after half time.

Following a nervy opening 15 minutes that saw very little in the way of chances for either side - with only Bolton 'keeper Remi Matthews having to show his awareness, rushing off his line to whip the ball away from the feet of Chris Maguire - it was Bolton who then started to catch the eye.

For a side whose first game together ended in a 6-1 defeat at Rotherham just seven days ago, Keith Hill's men were hugely impressive, playing the ball around with some quick, intricate passing inside the Sunderland half.

Indeed, it would not have been against the run of play had Bolton taken the lead, when Dennis Politic's curling effort from the edge of the area cannoned off the inside of the far post and away to safety.

But with the noise from the home fans rising with Bolton starting to gain the upper hand with regards to the 50/50s in the centre of the park, the weight of expectation seemed to wake Sunderland from their slumber, as the Black Cats finally started to create some chances of their own around the half-hour mark.

After Gooch received the ball inside the Bolton area following a good run down the left from Hume, before Will Grigg, back in the side and still under pressure to provide the goals, should have done better as he headed wide while unmarked at the back post.

Worryingly for Sunderland however, although Maguire would also go close with a couple of efforts in that ten-minute spell, Jack Ross' side were neither able to make the breakthrough nor maintain the pressure.

Instead, it was Bolton who ended the half largely on the front foot, with the increasingly influential Stoke loanee Thibaud Verlinden causing plenty of trouble for the Sunderland defence with his pace and delivery on the right-hand side.

The hosts however, were unable to find a way past Sunderland stopper Jon McLaughlin, and were almost punished on the stroke of half time, as Chris Maguire narrowly failed to connect with a cross at the back post from six-yards out, not that that was enough to prevent a round of boos from the away end as referee Ollie Yates blew for half time almost immediately after that chance.

If the Sunderland players heard those boos, they certainly didn't seem to respond to them, and within five minutes of the restart, a deep free-kick from Ali Crawford was headed across the face of goal for Jack Hobbs to tap home his side's first league goal in front of their own fans this season.

While the boos may not have brought a response from Sunderland, the goal certainly did, and the Black Cats were almost level with the very next passage of play.

Breaking down the right-hand side, half time substitute Conor McLaughlin fired in a cross which was smacked viciously against the post on the volley, with the ball somehow bouncing to safety off the back of the helpless Matthews on its way back out.

Desperate not to become the first team to lose to a Bolton side so heavily hampered by off the pitch issues, Sunderland continued to go in search of that equaliser, but Wanderers, equally desperate for that morale-boosting first win, were throwing themselves in front of everything, and a sign of how effective they were in doing that came with 20 minutes remaining, as Aiden McGeady tried his luck from distance with an effort that was comfortably held by Matthews.

Minutes later it was the woodwork that got involved again, as Leadbitter's deep free-kick found Tom Flanagan running in at the back, with the defender's grazing the top of the crossbar on its way over.

It wasn't just the defence and woodwork doing their bit for Bolton however, with Matthews also playing his part by brilliantly tipping away efforts first from McGeady and then Gooch in the space of 60 seconds as the match entered its final five minutes.

There would however be no fairytale for Bolton, as Sunderland finally got their equaliser two minutes into five added in in the cruelest of circumstances.

A heavy touch into the Bolton area by McGeady cannoned onto the hand of substitute Yoan Zouma at point blanc range, with referee Yates pointing to the spot, and McGeady dutifully stepped up to save Sunderland a point, but not from the boos on the full time whistle, as Bolton themselves departed to a well earned standing ovation.