Wolves threw away a two-goal lead against Coventry as their hopes of reaching the Championship play-offs received another setback.

Wanderers went into the game lying seventh in the table and eight points adrift of Preston, who occupy sixth place and the final play-off berth.

But after Paul Ince and Colin Cameron had given Wolves their 2-0 advantage, the Sky Blues hit back with goals from Stern John and Gary McSheffrey to extend the Black Country club's winless run into a fourth game.

It was Wolves who got off to the ideal start though, as Ince swept the ball home from a 25-yard free-kick, awarded after Dennis Wise had brought down Tomasz Frankowski in only the first minute.

After Micky Doyle went into referee Andre Marriner's book following his protests, Wanderers captain Ince stepped up to fire the set-piece low past goalkeeper Marton Fulop's outstretched right hand.

At the other end, Trinidad and Tobago international John squandered a chance at close range but from an acute angle after a right-wing cross from Wise which was fumbled by Wolves goalkeeper Stefan Postma.

However, John could only divert the ball from the back post across the face of goal and wide.

And Coventry's gloom deepened shortly afterwards as Cameron, who has been told he will not be offered a new contract at the end of the season, made no mistake in the 23rd minute when latching onto a backheel from Jeremie Aliadiere and scoring from 20 yards.

City hit back quickly with a fine goal as John headed home at the back post following Marcus Hall's booming cross from the left wing.

Mark Kennedy hit the Coventry post after Aliadiere's break gave Wolves a three-on-one situation with the Irishman and Frankowski was later denied at close range by Fulop's smart saves as the interval loomed.

Both sides ran out unchanged for the start of the second half but it was not long before Sky Blues manager Micky Adams opted to introduce Dele Adebola as replacement for Jamie Scowcroft.

But it was the Black Country side who created the second half's opening chance of note as corner from Cameron, recalled from his loan spell at Millwall on the eve of the game, was met by a glancing Frankowski header which sailed just over Fulop's crossbar.

Coventry were level moments later though as McSheffrey netted with a curling left-footed strike from a free-kick awarded 25 yards out after Joleon Lescott was adjudged to have fouled Stephen Hughes.

Wolves boss Glenn Hoddle responded to that setback by throwing Carl Cort and Mark Davies into the fray as replacements for Seol Ki-Hyeon and Frankowski.

And next Richard Duffy was replaced at right-back by Andy Whing with little more than 10 minutes to the final whistle before both clubs played their final cards - to little avail though - as Rohan Ricketts replaced Aliadiere and Don Hutchinson was introduced for McSheffrey.

Teams

Wolverhampton Postma, Ross, Craddock, Lescott, Naylor, Ince,Cameron, Kennedy, Frankowski (Cort 67),Aliadiere (Ricketts 85), Seol (Davies 66).

Subs Not Used: Oakes, Little.

Booked: Cameron, Ross.

Goals: Ince 2, Cameron 22.

Coventry Fulop, Duffy (Whing 79), Williams, Page, Hall,Scowcroft (Adebola 49), Wise, Hughes, Doyle,McSheffrey (Hutchison 87), John.

Subs Not Used: Heath, Thornton.

Booked: Page.

Goals: John 25, McSheffrey 60.

Att: 23,702

Ref: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire).