Wolves' Coca-Cola Championship play-off ambitions suffered a blow as they were held to a draw for the eighth time at Molineux in the league this season by struggling Stoke.

With a home game against Cardiff to come at the weekend, this was billed as a critical week for the hosts' hopes of breaking open the top six.

While sixth-placed Preston - who remain a point ahead with two games in hand - were occupied at Plymouth tonight, fellow play-off hopeful managers Kevin Blackwell, Adie Boothroyd and Iain Dowie were all present at Molineux but will not have seen too much to concern their own clubs.

Carl Cort had the home team's best chance, prodding a volley wide after Michael Duberry had made a poor contact with Stefan Postma's booming goal-kick in the 33rd minute.

But Stoke were disciplined and looked dangerous on the break and came closest when Postma pushed a Clint Hill header on to the bar, while at the other end a Lee Naylor cross also came back off the woodwork.

If anything, Stoke - who have now won once in 12 league games - were the better side on a surface so tricky the game was in doubt until an hour before kick-off.

Despite Wolves boss Glenn Hoddle persisting with a three-man attack, it was a subdued start to the evening with both sides taking time to get used to the pitch.

The home attack had little joy in the opening stages, although Rob Edwards could have had a chance if he had been alert to Steve Simonsen dropping a Darren Anderton free-kick next to him.

The Potters opted for a five-man midfield and made a steady start, with the impressive Josip Skoko heading high and wide from a Carl Hoefkens cross and blasting off-target shortly afterwards.

Lone striker Sambegou Bangoura had no openings - and apart from hopeful Paul Gallagher and Dave Brammer efforts just before the break, the visitors were limited as an attacking force.

Wolves had a spell of opportunities from set-pieces around the half-hour mark, with free-kicks leading to Jeremie Aliadiere and Kenny Miller firing off target.

The best opening of the first half came from Postma's huge goal-kick, which was headed back towards his own goal by Duberry - only for Cort to poke agonisingly wide.

Hoefkens' long cross almost fell for Bangoura at the very start of the second period. But Postma was alive to the danger and moments later the Guinea international just failed to make contact with Darel Russell's centre after the midfielder had broken down the right.

Eight minutes after the interval, Gallagher's low free-kick was met by a diving header from Hill and pushed on to the bar by Postma.

A sweeping Skoko pass set substitute Mamady Sidibe clear down the right, and from his pull-back Hoefkens teased Naylor before pushing his shot just past the far post.

Despite the liveliness of Miller, Wolves continued to be frustrated but went close for a second time more through luck than anything else as Naylor's looping cross bounced off Simonsen's bar.

The Potters continued to look neat and precise in their attacks, with Bangoura heading wide and Marlon Broomes seeing an effort deflected away from Postma's goal.

Not even the arrival of striker Tomasz Frankowski could spur the hosts into action - and as the game petered out, they looked less and less like breaking the deadlock.

Teams

Wolverhampton Postma, Ross, Lescott, Edwards, Naylor,Anderton (Ince 12), Rosa (Ricketts 64), Kennedy, Miller,Aliadiere, Cort (Frankowski 73).

Subs Not Used: Oakes, Gyepes.

Stoke Simonsen, Hoefkens, Duberry, Hill, Broomes,Skoko (Mbuyi 82), Brammer, Gallagher, Chadwick (Sidibe 45),Russell, Bangoura.

Subs Not Used: de Goey, Sweeney, Buxton.

Booked: Chadwick.

Att: 22,439

Ref: B Curson (Leicestershire).