A spectacular volleyed equaliser from Joleon Lescott earned Wolves a share of the spoils at Leicester but propelled manager Glenn Hoddle's side into the history books for less than illustrious reasons.

Wanderers central defender Lescott blazed home from outside the penalty box after the hosts, who had taken a second-half lead through Alan Maybury, failed to clear their lines from a corner.

But the 1-1 deadlock was Wolves' 20th stalemate of the season, a new record for the Black Country club who had recorded 19 draws during their 1990-91 campaign.

And it was the visitors who found themselves on the defensive early in the game after Keith Gillespie had crossed from the right but a weak header from Mark de Vries failed to trouble goalkeeper Michael Oakes.

The Molineux outfit were opened up again shortly before the quarter-hour as Stephen Hughes supplied Gillespie who tracked across the face of the Wanderers penalty box from right to left before deciding against a shot.

Instead, the Northern Ireland man opted to tee up David Connolly whose low shot rebounded to safety off the calf of goalkeeper Michael Oakes.

Wolves threatened for the first time in the 18th minute but Kenny Miller could only head high and wide from a free-kick supplied by Paul Ince.

Connolly swept the ball into the Wolves net with 20 minutes gone but the City striker was ruled offside and the goal disallowed by referee Eddie Evans.

Gareth Williams was next to chance his arm for the Foxes but a curling drive was touched around the woodwork by Oakes and at the other end, Miller once again headed wide, this time from a Lee Naylor cross before.

After both sides ran out unchanged for the second half, hostilities were resumed by Williams who drilled a low shot wide of Oakes' goal.

The first yellow card of the evening was shown to Williams in the 58th minute after the Scotsman scythed down his compatriot, a challenge which sparked a large-scale confrontation.

And just 60 seconds later City were dismayed when the official waved away convincing shouts for a penalty after Connolly appeared to have been sandwiched by Lescott and Naylor.

The deadlock was eventually broken in the 73rd minute thanks to Maybury who made tracks down the Foxes' left, cut inside and then fired a thunderous drive low across Oakes' goal and into the far corner.

Oakes was tested again four minutes later but on this occasion the Molineux stopper managed to paw to safety a cheeky chip from Connolly.

Carl Cort went close for the Black Country side late on but the striker's header was directed wide of target only for the visitors to draw level through Lescott with just two minutes remaining after a Naylor corner from the left had only been partially cleared.

Teams:

Leicester Walker, McCarthy, Dabizas, Dublin, Maybury, Gillespie (Moore 89), Williams, Hughes, Gudjonsson (Wilcox 90), de Vries, Connolly (Nalis 87).

Subs Not Used: Heath, Hirschfeld.

Booked: McCarthy.

Goals: Maybury 73.

Wolverhampton Oakes, Edwards, Craddock, Lescott, Naylor, Seol (Clarke 80), Ince, Olofinjana, Kennedy (Cameron 79), Cort, Miller.

Subs Not Used: Jones, Bischoff, Ricketts.

Booked: Miller.

Goals: Lescott 88.

Att: 22,950

Ref: E Evans (Gtr Manchester).