Bolton twice came from behind to deny Aston Villa after a battling performance at the Reebok Stadium.

Peter Crouch, in for the injured Juan Pablo Angel, gave Villa the lead with a header from Gareth Barry’s cross.

Bolton looked better after the interval and levelled when Henrik Pedersen took advantage of a poor clearance.

Lee Hendrie restored Villa’s lead with a sweet finish, but Kevin Davies ensured honours finished even after hooking in a late equaliser.

It was the home side that threatened first, with the fit-again Youri Djorkaeff hooking wide from close range within the first two minutes.

Djorkaeff then floated a corner across for Bruno N’Gotty to head wide at the far post, but Villa who drew first blood with the first shot on target.

Shortly after Barry had tried his luck from distance, his deep cross allowed the giant Crouch to tower above full-back Simon Charlton and head past Jaaskalainen, who got a hand to the effort but was unable to prevent it from crossing the line.

But at the other end, Jay-Jay Okocha soon tested Villa keeper Thomas Sorensen, who parried a fierce 25-yard effort from the Nigerian.

Pedersen failed to get a shot away when twice put through in good positions, but Per Frandsen came nearest to grabbing an equaliser when his powerful drive was turned away by Sorensen.

However Villa, chasing a European place, looked increasingly confident as Darius Vassell fed Lee Hendrie, who shot wide, and Vassell himself fired over the bar just before the interval.

Bolton brought Nicky Hunt on for Charlton, who had been struggling with a groin problem, at the break.

Sam Allardyce’s side came out firing, with Sorensen soon tested by Kevin Nolan’s shot, and Wanderers were soon level after some poor defending by the visitors.

Ulises de la Cruz’s clearance rebounded off Okocha and fell kindly for Pedersen, who marked his 50th League start for the Trotters with a left-footed volley past his fellow countryman Sorensen.

But Villa soon burst to life again and restored their lead when Barry sprang the offside trap and fed Hendrie, who sweetly lifted the ball over Sorensen.

Jaaskelainen also turned away a Vassell effort as the Midlanders pushed for a third goal.

Crouch then blotted his copybook, picking up a yellow card after a skirmish with Hunt, and the big man was soon replaced by Dion Dublin.

Djorkaeff should have made it 2-2 when he headed wide from Okocha’s inviting cross, while Dublin and Thomas Hitzlsperger went close for the visitors.

But Bolton did not give up - and levelled for a second time when Davies netted from close range, following good work by Pedersen and Stelios Giannakopoulos, on as a late substitute for Djorkaeff.