Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink secured 10-man Chelsea an unlikely point, a result that kept Bolton in the bottom three
Henrik Pedersen gave Bolton the lead, but after Celestine Babayaro had been red-carded, Hasselbaink grabbed the equaliser in the 90th minute.
"
What I can't understand is why Bolton are near the foot of the table.... they
have so many skilful players
"
Chelsea boss
Claudio Ranieri
Hasselbaink had come on after the restart and his introduction had threatened to give Chelsea control of the game.
Yet just past the hour Frandsen headed home from a Youri Djorkaeff corner.
Any hopes Claudio Ranieri's side had of rescuing the match looked to have evaporated when Babayaro was sent off for elbowing Djorkaeff.
But Chelsea and Gianfranco Zola in particular kept plugging away and were finally rewarded for their persistence.
Even so, the draw cost Chelsea third place, with Everton moving ahead of the Londoners in the table.
Pedersen's goal was the first time that Carlo Cudicini had been beaten in six games.
Early on the Chelsea goalkeeper showed just why he has put together such a fine record, particularly when he saved a Per Frandsen volley.
Jay-Jay Okocha then spotted Pedersen at the back post and delivered a precise cross, only for the Dane to miscue his shot.
As so often this season, Djorkaeff provided Bolton's creative impulse.
And in the 38th minute he thumped in a 25-yard shot that as saved by Cudicini.
With the game evenly poised, Warhurst's superb chip from 25 yards was tipped over by the ever-alert Cudicini.
"
I will be crying in my beer.... we had the chances to finish Chelsea off
"
Bolton boss
Sam Allardyce
Djorkaeff took the corner, from which Pedersen sent a powerful header beyond the goalkeeper.
Before Hasselbaink's introduction, Frank Lampard had provided plenty of attacking thrust for Chelsea.
After one driving run, he released William Gallas, but goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen managed to scramble the ball clear.
Jaaskelainen was again called into action a minute later when a 20-yard shot from Eidur Gudjohnsen ended up in his arms.
Hasselbaink equalised for Chelsea in the 90th minute when he sent a glancing header from Zola's cross beyond Jaaskelainen.
Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Barness, Campo, Warhurst, Gardner, Frandsen (Tofting 45), Nolan (Ricketts 79), Okocha, Charlton, Pedersen, Djorkaeff.
Subs Not Used: Poole, Holdsworth, Southall.
Booked: Barness, Tofting.
Goals: Pedersen 63.
Chelsea: Cudicini, Melchiot, Gallas, Desailly, Babayaro, Gronkjaer (Hasselbaink 45), Lampard, Petit, Le Saux (Morris 72), Gudjohnsen, Zola.
Subs Not Used: de Goey, Stanic, Terry.
Sent Off: Babayaro (77).
Booked: Melchiot, Gallas, Hasselbaink, Desailly.
Goals: Hasselbaink 90.
Attendance: 25,476.
Referee: M Dean (Wirral).