Wolves consolidated their position in the First Division's top six with their third win in four League games.

But again it was an odd-goal triumph as they were made to work hard to protect all three points after battling Crystal Palace had opened up what looked like becoming a one-sided game.

Wolves were cruising 2-0 ahead early in the second-half and playing well.

Then the Londoners pulled one back and caused a few flutters before Wolves emerged having taken their impressive sequence to 14 points from seven League matches.

Colin Lee's side again profited from set-pieces, scoring twice from corners - once early in each half.

Steve Sedgley continued his prolific scoring run when he netted his fifth goal in seven games with a crisp left-foot shot from 10-yards in the 15th minute after Palace keeper Fraser Digby had failed to deal with an out-swinging right-wing corner by Darren Bazeley.

When Frenchman Ludovic Pollet forced the ball home with his shoulder at close range from Andy Sinton's inswinging 47th minute left-wing corner, Wolves looked home and dry.

They might have scored a third five minutes later but the impressive Michael Branch saw his quality cross, after robbing Andy Linighan, nodded inches over by strike partner Ade Akinbiyi.

Sinton then fired narrowly wide from 25-yards following a free-kick and Branch had a goal disallowed for offside after Akinbiyi had helped on a cross-shot by Sinton.

Palace bounced right back into the game in the 63rd minute when Michael Oakes mishandled a long kick from his opposite keeper Digby and allowed Andrew Martin to drive home the loose ball.

Palace never really threatened an equaliser against an increasingly assured Wolves defence and Akinbiyi might have sealed the verdict when his shot was cleared from near the line by Linighan.

Wolves had dominated the opening stages, only to lose their momentum shortly after going in front.

And Palace were denied only by an assistant linesman's flag for off-side when Clinton Morrison converted the rebound after Oakes had stopped but failed to hold a routine shot by midfielder Wayne Carlisle.

Teams

Wolverhampton: Oakes, Muscat, Pollet, Curle, Naylor, Bazeley, Emblen, Sedgley, Sinton, Akinbiyi, Branch.

Subs Not Used: Robinson, Corica, Flo, Lescott, Stowell.

Goals: Sedgley 15, Pollet 47.

Crystal Palace: Digby, Smith, Zhiyi, Linighan, Austin (Rizzo 83), Carlisle, Foster, Mullins, Rodger, Morrison, Martin.

Subs Not Used: Mautone, Woozley, Hibburt, Sharpling.

Booked: Smith.

Goals: Martin 64.

Att: 20,756

Ref: T Jones (Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria).