Jermaine Johnson tested Ross Turnbull in the Boro goal on a number of occasions but he somehow couldnt find a way past the young stopper whilst at the other end midfielder Gary Smith and the much jeered Ricketts went close but each time where denied by veteran ex-Boro keeper Kevin Poole in the Bolton goal.
Shortly after the break Per Frandsen, who found himself in the strange position of being in the reserves could have given the Wanderers the lead, however his shot from a Jeff Smith cross went the wrong side of the post.
Bolton had been weakend by the loan departures of Delroy Facey and Gareth Farrelly to Burnley during the afternoon but they kept plugging away in front of their home support.
Craig Dove then gave Boro the lead on 66 minutes when he beat Poole from a tight angle but this was much to the dismay of the Bolton players who felt the forward was in an offside position.
Bolton introduced new signing from Farense, 16-year old striker Ricardo Vaz Te but the game was won in injury time when Stewart Downing finally beat Poole with an unstoppable drive.
BOLTON RESERVES: Kevin Poole, Rhys Powell, Simon Charlton, Danny Livesey, Charlie Comyn-Platt, Reece Jones (Ricardo Vaz Te), Per Frandsen, Derek Niven (Joey O'Brien), Jermaine Johnson, Ricky Shakes (Reda Kribib), Jeff Smith
SUBS NOT USED: Lewis Hamlin, Jason Talbot, Jeremy Bon
BORO RESERVES: Ross Turnbull, Jamie Cade, Alan Wright, Brian Close, Phil Gulliver, Gary Smith (Chris Brunt), Allan Johnston, Mark Wilson, Michael Ricketts (Daniel Graham), Craig Dove, Stewart Downing
SUBS NOT USED: Roberts, Andrew Taylor, Anthony McMahon