A last-minute equaliser by Neil Emblen salvaged Wolves a fortunate point at home to a Stockport side who left Molineux claiming a case of rough justice.

Emblen forced the ball home off his hip to square the game at 2-2 after substitute Ade Akinbiyi had headed back a corner by Andy Sinton.

But Stockport protested that keeper Carlo Nash had been fouled in the build-up to the goal, which he viewed from the ground, having been knocked over.

It was Wolves' second fortunate goal of the afternoon for their first-half equaliser had also been a controversial affair, Michael Branch winning a penalty that the visitors claimed was outside the area - if it was an offence at all.

Branch went down under a 42nd minute challenge from Martin Taylor - signed by Stockport from Blackburn just before the transfer deadline - and referee Rob Styles pointed to the spot from where skipper Keith Curle just beat Nash's dive with a bobbling shot.

Stockport had come under considerable pressure in the first half but were much the sharper side after the interval and really should have sewn up the points.

They had not won in 15 matches since beating Wolves at home on Boxing Day but they drew first blood in the 15th minute when Ian Lawson headed just inside the near-post from a centre by Shane Nicholson.

At that point, Wolves had already missed two good chances, debutant Allan Nielsen and Emblen both shooting off-target left-footed from well inside the area.

Wolves, having won their previous six home games, would have expected to build in the second half on the lifeline given them by Curle.

But they never got going in the second period and, after Ian Moore and Ali Gibb had driven wide of the far post, it was Stockport who went back in front in the 63rd minute.

Emblen challenged Karin Fradin and as the ball ran loose, Tony Dinning struck a tremendous right-foot drive low into the corner from 25 yards.

Wolves, with Akinbiyi on as sub following the end of his three-match suspension, turned up the heat in the final minutes with Stockport defending in depth and then counter-attacking to great effect.

And, even after Emblen had equalised, Stockport might have pinched the win they deserved when Kevin Cooper fired an angled drive a yard over the bar.

Teams:

Wolverhampton: Oakes, Bazeley, Curle, Pollet, Muscat, Taylor, Nielsen (Akinbiyi 57), Sedgley, Sinton, Emblen, Branch.

Subs Not Used: Simpson, Osborn, Robinson, Petterson.

Booked: Taylor.

Goals: Curle 43 pen, Emblen 90.

Stockport: Nash, Connelly (Elliott 54), Flynn, Taylor, Nicholson, Gibb, Dinning, Fradin, Cooper, Moore, Lawson (Wilbraham 84).

Subs Not Used: Gray, Byrne, Matthews.

Booked: Dinning, Elliott.

Goals: Lawson 16, Dinning 62.

Att: 25,065

Ref: R Styles (Waterlooville).