Charlton Athletic’s stay in the Championship is over after José Riga’s side failed to beat the already-doomed Bolton at the Macron Stadium.

They had to take three points to stand any chance of staying up and a drab 0-0 draw means the teams will meet again next season in League One. Given the fare served up, it was not difficult to see why both clubs are heading down.

David Wheater’s second-half header, superbly saved by Charlton’s Nick Pope, was the closest either side came to breaking the deadlock. Bolton had made a positive start but Mark Davies and Zach Clough unleashed understrength shots that did not trouble Pope.

Charlton lacked urgency despite the fate awaiting them though they did produce an effort on target after 24 minutes. Simon Makienok was left unmarked in the six-yard box but from Marco Motta’s right-wing centre his header went straight into the hands of Ben Amos.

Charlton, who started the season with an unbeaten run of six games in league and cup, were marginally the more inventive though there was very little to choose between two sub-standard sides. It was no surprise when a chorus of boos from a meagre crowd greeted the teams as they trudged off.

The home side looked most likely to break the stalemate in the second half. Wheater’s header from Clough’s corner was heading for the top corner until Pope stuck out a hand to deflect the ball away for a corner.

Wheater had another effort deflected for another corner while Clough curled a rightfoot shot wide of the goal.

Charlton were fortunate not to go down to 10 men when Jorge Teixeira, as the last man, appeared to hold back Emile Heskey in the centre circle. He escaped punishment but Charlton soon tried to change their fortunes, bringing on Callum Harriott followed by Alou Diarra in quick succession. The changes did not work as Amos was a virtual spectator, though he did keep one effort out from Ademola Lookman.

The best chances came Bolton’s way, notably when the full-back Oscar Threlkeld, in his first game for the club since last May, threaded the ball across the penalty area but the captain Darren Pratley could not toe-poke it beyond Pope.

Kaiyne Woolery, a replacement for the 38-year-old Heskey, fired into the side-netting late-on and though Bolton ended a run of six successive defeats, a point was no consolation for Charlton.