Wolves dealt Ipswich's hopes of automatic promotion another hefty blow as they somehow hung on for a barely deserved victory at Molineux.

The East Anglians who started the day in second place, were well on top for long periods but Colin Lee's side dug in, survived a barrage of Ipswich goal attempts and clung on for their fifth successive home win.

Wolves' hero was striker Havard Flo, who was recalled in the absence of the suspended Ade Akinbiyi.

Flo, who had recently found himself fourth choice striker at the club, needed only four minutes of his comeback game to make his mark, turning onto a low right-wing cross from Michael Branch to drive home an angled eight-yard shot.

The early breakthrough served only to provoke a prolonged Ipswich onslaught, however, and that proved to be the home side's only goal attempt in a half in which Ipswich had no fewer than 12 efforts.

Wolves keeper Michael Oakes made a flying save from skipper Matt Holland's fierce 25-yarder and also went down to keep out efforts from Jim Magilton and former Wolves man Jermaine Wright.

Wolves defended desperately and heroically, as they needed to, but gave themselves breathing space in the 47th minute when Flo scored his fourth goal of the season with a fine overhead kick after Neil Emblen had headed on a free-kick from Keith Curle.

Branch might then have made the game safe when he cut in unchallenged only to shoot tamely at keeper Richard Wright but Ipswich again laid siege to the home goal in the final half hour.

David Johnson's dipping left-foot volley was well turned over by Oakes while Tony Mowbray and Magilton were narrowly off-target from outside the area.

Ipswich, who had been unbeaten in away league games since November, did pull one back in the 75th minute when Jamie Scowcroft headed home at the far post from Jamie Clapham's left wing cross.

Wolves were under enormous pressure in the dying minutes and Kevin Muscat seemed fortunate to escape a penalty award when he clashed in the area with substitute Richard Naylor.

Wolves' win revives their challenge for the play-offs after two successive defeats while Ipswich have now taken only two points from 12 in their bid for second place.

Teams

Wolverhampton: Oakes, Bazeley, Pollet, Curle, Muscat, Robinson, Emblen, Sedgley, Sinton, Flo, Branch.

Subs Not Used: Simpson, Green, Andrews, Lescott, Petterson.

Booked: Branch.

Goals: Flo 4, 46.

Ipswich: R. Wright, McGreal, Mowbray, Brown, Wilnis, J. Wright (Naylor 69), Magilton, Holland, Clapham, Johnson, Scowcroft.

Subs Not Used: Branagan, Stockwell, Croft, Thetis.

Goals: Scowcroft 75.

Att: 22,652

Ref: M Jones (Chester).