Sunderland and Bolton played out a goalless draw in the Premier League encounter at the Reebok Stadium, though the relegation-haunted away side will see the result as two points lost rather than one gained.
Kieran Richardson had the best chance for the visitors in the first-half, but shot over from 12 yards with just the Bolton goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen to beat. Bolton were ineffective and torpid for most of the game, but almost took the points through Gary Cahill's header in injury-time, only to be denied by a stunning fingertip save from Sunderland goalkeeper Marton Fulop.
Richardson and Dean Whitehead had early half-chances for the away side, whose football was neat and focused despite the must-win nature of the game.
Gretar Steinsson dragged a shot wide when Bolton finally produced a moment of note themselves, but the Black Cats quickly regained the impetus.
On 20 minutes, Grant Leadbitter found himself in space on the left after a deft flick-on from Jones, but when he finally got into the area he fired into the side-netting, despite the competing claims of two other Sunderland players in the box.
A couple of minutes later, the chance of the game fell to Richardson, who wastefully shot over from 12 yards, after Jones had chested into his path a dinked Steed Malbranque cross.
The former Manchester United midfielder had another half-chance ten minutes before the break, but he sliced a shot from the edge of the area wide, after Jones’ muscular power had set up the opportunity.
Ricky Sbragia’s men had failed to find the net on their travels since February 1, and the catalogue of missed chances in the opening half at the Reebok bore out the statistic.
Richardson was denied again on 41 minutes by a superb recovery tackle from Gavin McCann, after Andy O’Brien had initially gifted possession to the Black Cats’ midfielder.
Bolton bought on Mark Davies for the ineffectual Tamir Cohen for the second half, as Gary Megson attempted to beef up a midfield that had been overrun in the first period.
Sunderland were still playing the better football, and were unlucky that a cross on the hour from Leadbitter from the left dropped just behind Jones.
Bolton’s only threat seemed to come from set-pieces, and Mark Davies was close to seeing his 64th minute shot from a cleared corner go in, only for Calum Davenport to bravely hurl his head to clear the ball.
Given their lack of firepower, it will be a worry that Sunderland lost Jones to what looked like an ankle injury on 71 minutes, to be replaced by Djibril Cisse.
Five minutes later, Richardson shot wide again from 12 yards, after Andy O’Brien had failed to deal with the second ball into the box after an Anton Ferdinand free-kick.
Cisse then forced Jaaskelainen into an improvised clearance with his feet with a low cross from the right on 82 minutes, but in truth the Frenchman would have been better employed sniffing for goals in the box rather than trying to create them on the flanks.
Surprisingly, it was Bolton who looked keener on taking all three points in injury-time, and after Mark Davies and Mustapha Riga had opportunities, Cahill almost won it for Megson’s men only to be denied by a superb fingertip save from Fulop.
STAR MAN: Danny Collins [ 7.5/10*]. In a goalless draw, it is perhaps inevitable that a defender gets the nod. Collins just shades it from Bolton counterpart Gretar Steinsson.
Click here for Opta match statistics and player ratings from the game.