Bolton had made a fast start and by the time they took the lead in the 12th minute, had already carved out several fine chances.

Will Buckley, drifting in from the left-hand side, caused Shaun Hutchinson all sorts of problems and should have had a glorious opening after just six minutes but opted to go down under the slightest of contacts when he burst into the box rather than getting a shot away.

But Millwall didn't learn their lesson and just a minute later, Buckley was through on goal again.

This time, he looked to slot it past Jordan Archer but the Millwall keeper denied him before brilliantly pushing Jason Lowe's follow-up over the bar.

Archer – making his first start since August and only in the line-up because on-loan Ben Amos was unable to play against his parent club – was arguably Millwall's best player but there was nothing he could do about Bolton's opener.

Joe Williams swung in a delicate cross from the right and Beevers, left inexplicably unmarked, stole in to stoop and head home via the far post.

The home side failed to muster any sort of response until first-half stoppage time when Ben Alnwick denied Ryan Leonard low down before Beevers headed Aiden O'Brien's follow-up off the line.

Bolton, who had recorded only one point in their last seven games, seemed happy to protect their lead, and Millwall's lack of penetration meant that most of the remaining drama in the first half surrounded the referee.

Lee Swabey, already a late replacement for the ill Tony Harrington, appeared to injure his calf midway through the half, and was replaced by an assistant following a lengthy delay.

After the break, the expected Millwall onslaught failed to materialise. In fact, it was Bolton who had the better chances for most of a dour second half, most notably when Archer was forced into another fine save to deny Lowe.

But with time running out, the home side finally managed to turn the pressure of possession into a shooting chance and Skalak rifled in a volley which deflected in off Cooper at the far post to keep Millwall ahead of Bolton and out of the Championship relegation zone on goal difference.

ga('create', 'UA-72310761-1', 'auto', {'name': 'pacontentapi'});
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'referrer', location.origin);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension1', 'By Press Association Sport staff');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension2', '16ef8445-b3ec-4378-b1b1-35e60ea14c9a');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension3', 'paservice:sport,paservice:sport:club-news,paservice:sport:football,paservice:sport:match-reports');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension6', 'story');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension7', 'composite');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension8', null);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension9', 'sport:football');
ga('pacontentapi.send', 'pageview', { 'location': location.href, 'page': (location.pathname + location.search + location.hash), 'title': 'Cooper salvages point for Millwall against Bolton'});