Arsenal left it late with a stoppage-time equaliser from Gilberto to avoid a third defeat at the hands of Bolton this season in an ill-tempered clash at Highbury.

Sam Allardyce had also got the better of Arsene Wenger in the Barclays Premiership clash at the Reebok Stadium, as well as in last month’s FA Cup tie. And until the second minute of five additional minutes, it looked as if an early effort from captain Kevin Nolan would prove enough for another.

However, just when it seemed all of their second-half pressure would result in nothing Gilberto connected with Cesc Fabregas’s low cross from the right to finally beat Jussi Jaaskelainen and rescue a point.

The visitors had started brightly, and fashioned a decent chance inside the opening three minutes.

Matt Jansen whipped a cross over from the left, which found its way through to the advancing Nolan - and it needed a good save from Jens Lehmann to prevent the visiting captain giving his side an early lead.

From the corner, which was put back into the six-yard box after only being half-cleared, Bruno N’Gotty’s looping header hit the crossbar.

After such a poor start, Arsenal soon settled.

Jose Antonio Reyes felt he should have been awarded a penalty when he went down, somewhat theatrically, under the sliding challenge of Tal Ben Haim after being played in by Thierry Henry. Referee Howard Webb, however, was not interested.

Despite some slick passing in their approach play, the Gunners failed to find a telling ball when in and around the Bolton penalty area - and gave possession away too easily. It was no surprise when Bolton took the lead on 12 minutes.

Philippe Senderos slid in to challenge Jansen just outside the penalty area, and the ball spun up, back across the 18-yard line. It fell kindly for Nolan, who executed a superb lob with the outside of his boot, up and over Lehmann.

Arsenal tried to force the tempo of the match, but again, too often, the choice of pass was poor when it mattered most.

When Emmanuel Adebayor got in on the right after 23 minutes, his cross was just too far ahead of Fabregas’s lunge into the six-yard box.

The match turned physical, with Arsenal giving as good as they got as both team exchanged strong challenges. Mathieu Flamini should have at least been cautioned on 42 minutes for his two-footed sliding tackle on Jamie Gardner, the Bolton man jumping out of the way before contact could be made - but intent was there.

Wenger replaced Abou Diaby with Freddie Ljungberg at the start of the second half and it was a positive opening to the second period by the Gunners, but still they lacked the final, telling pass to open up the Bolton defence.

Adebayor dashed through on 54 minutes, and although his first touch took him past the keeper, it was too wide for him to shoot on goal.

The Togo striker instead cut the ball back from the goalline, and it eventually fell to Pires, who drilled a 20-yard effort over the crossbar.

Ben Haim then tripped Henry, to give Arsenal a free-kick in a dangerous position, 25 yards out just to left of centre.

Pires struck his effort well, beating the Bolton wall — only for Jussi Jaaskelainen to produce a brilliant one-handed save, down to his left.

As the hour mark passed, Arsenal continued to build the pressure.

With 25 minutes left, Henry and Adebayor combined on the edge of the area to set up Fabregas for a strike on goal.

But the young Spaniard could only drive the ball high into the North Bank, before dropping to the ground in frustration.

There were five minutes of stoppage time when Arsenal finally grabbed an equaliser as Gilberto swept home Fabregas’ cross from the right, side footing in a first-time strike.