Dean Ashton spurned the chance to send West Ham into the FA Cup quarter-finals with a glaring second-half miss as the London club fought out a dour 0-0 draw against Bolton at the Reebok Stadium.
Ashton headed into the side-netting from less than six yards on 66 minutes after Matthew Etherington's pinpoint cross had teed up the unmarked Hammers striker.
Sam Allardyce's Bolton had been the better side in this all-Premiership clash, but their chances were limited to long-range efforts and half-chances that rarely threatened a breakthrough.
Striker Kevin Davies was unlucky not to test keeper Shaka Hislop early when his right-foot flick from Ricardo Gardner's surging run and cross was blocked by Hammers defender Daniel Gabbidon.
Bolton captain Kevin Nolan caused a worrying moment for the visitors when his close range volley from Davies's header flashed narrowly over the crossbar.
Apart from the odd cross into the Bolton penalty area, West Ham struggled to create any danger for Bolton in the first-half and the home side again went close when former Wales captain Gary Speed sustained a nasty gash to the head while heading Davies's cross just wide.
Although they were dominating a game that was a repeat of the 1923 FA Cup Final which they won 2-0, Bolton struggled to carve out true clear-cut chances and Davies sent another effort wide of goal as the home side pushed forward on 55 minutes.
West Ham had to wait until the 66th minute before they created their first chance when Etherington's cross was wastefully headed into the side-netting by Ashton.
That narrow escape hardly gave the game an extra edge, though, and Davies was the closest to finding a breakthrough when his tame 25-yard strike was saved comfortably by Hislop in the 69th minute.
With Bolton involved in the UEFA Cup and two postponed Premiership games to fit into their crowded fixture list, a replay is the last thing they will have wanted.
