CREWE clung on to share the points with visitors Bolton after executing one of the most exciting comebacks of the season.

Bolton's unbeaten record came under serious threat at Gresty Road after the Alex got off to a flier with a 13th-minute header from Colin Little.

Back-in-favour Little scored from a Seth Johnson Cross, after battling work from Phil Charnock, to rock the Wanderers.

But Bolton soon composed themselves and when full-back Marcus Bignot was dispossessed on the edge of his penalty area, Arner Gunnlaugsson was on hand to clinically fire home.

The Alex again took the lead on 31 minutes when Charnock stabbed home a Shaun Smith free kick from the left.

Desperate to go into the dressing rooms in front, Bolton stormed back six minutes later with a 37th minute strike from Bob Taylor.

The visitors finally took the lead two minutes before the break to round off a goal-packed first half. Jamaican international Ricardo Gardner caught the Alex defence on the back foot and put Gunnlaugsson clear to fire past Jason Kearton.

Per Frandsen extended the lead on 49 minutes as Bolton took immediate charge of the second half.

In a challenge with Kearton, the ball was launched skywards and the beaten defence could only watch as it looped into the net.

Crewe, struggling with an attack robbed of West Indian winger Rodney Jack, still managed to create chances and hauled themselves back into contention when Mark Rivers forced home a Colin Little pass from six yards.

The strike set up a thrilling final 19 minutes as the home side roared forward, forcing a dramatic penalty ten minutes from full time when Nathan Blake felled Charnock in the box.

Courageous captain Smith stepped up and hammered the equaliser home to the delight of an ecstatic Gresty Road crowd.

Alex boss Dario Gradi later praised his team for the spectacular comeback.

"The lads will be thinking they got out of jail today," he said.

"At 4-2 down we didn't look like we were going to be good enough to get back into it. Bolton had a good quality team and are easily the best team I have seen in this division this season.

"But we showed superb spirit and my players attitudes when playing against players who are more experienced, and in some cases better, than them was excellent."

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