The hosts created more chances at the Reebok Stadium but remain in the bottom three after a lively game ended goalless.

The point at least took Bolton closer to Birmingham above them and pulled them further away from Fulham but Megson felt they had deserved more.

Gretar Steinsson went the closest for Bolton with an early header that hit the post while Kevin Davies had a late effort cleared off the line by Martin Petrov.

Megson said: "In terms of the game it was probably two points lost.

"In terms of the amount of chances we had and opportunities to create more - we hit the woodwork and had it cleared off the line and territorially we had the advantage - it was two lost.

"But it is certainly a point gained on the team immediately above us and a point gained on the team immediately below us."

Given the seriousness of their situation, Bolton produced a typically robust display but Megson denied his team were overly physical.

"I didn't think we were physical," Megson said. "We competed when we didn't have it and we got the ball forward.

"We compete, the situation that we are in demands that we compete and football is a competitive game.

"We compete properly. You do mistime challenges at times but there is no intent, nothing malicious. We do want to get out of there."

Ivan Campo looked far from happy when he was substituted in the 63rd minute, the Spaniard leaving the field slowly and then trudging off down the tunnel.

Megson added: "I have spoken to Ivan a couple of times and all the players about it. Ivan has done that a couple of times and I don't expect anybody to be happy when they come off but what I do expect is that we all stick together.

"You don't want people pleased when they are brought off the field, I was never happy about it myself when I was a player.

"But you make your decision and think it is the right thing to do, therefore done in the best interest of the club."

City also had their chances, notably when Felipe Caicedo had a shot cleared off the line in the second half.

Manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, however, was happy to settle for a draw given how difficult Bolton had been to combat.

The former England boss said: "It was a point. We wanted three but I think it was a fair result.

"I am happy with how we defended and I thought we stood up to them very well.

"They are very strong, there were a lot of long balls, a lot of set-pieces and I think we handled that very well.

"I am not 100% happy when we have the ball. We should try to play more on the ground.

"But it is not easy, they don't allow you to play. I understand the way they play and I accept it."

Bolton's Ricardo Gardner will have an X-ray on a rib injury after being carried off on a stretcher late in the first half.

The Jamaica midfielder landed awkwardly under a challenge from Darius Vassell.