Wolves skipper Kevin Muscat missed an 88th minute penalty as Dave Jones' first home game in charge turned into a lively draw against Portsmouth.

The Australian international clipped the top of the bar after Stefani Miglioranzi was adjudged to have brought down substitute Neil Emblem.

After last weekend's FA Cup victory at Nottingham Forest, Jones was looking for victory in his first league game to ignite what he still thinks can be a meaningful challenge for the play-offs.

But Wolves were second best in a wayward first-half which could well have seen them a long way in arrears.

Pompey called the tune early on and Kevin Harper brought a diving save from Michael Oakes before seeing the ball cannon wide off his shins from Nigel Quashie's corner.

Ceri Hughes and Thomas Thogersen fired over as the visitors remained on top but Wolves broke away to take a surprise 19th minute lead.

Muscat sent Michael Branch away on the right and his determined pull-back was followed by a dummy by Adam Proudlock and a neat close range finish by Andy Sinton.

It was the former England player's first competitive goal since arriving at Wolves in the summer of 1999 but it wasn't long before his side were defending in numbers.

Miglioranzi and Luke Nightingale saw shots blocked and Thogersen had a drive scrambled wide by Oakes in a spell of attacking that brought a deserved 27th minute equaliser.

Miglioranzi crossed from the right and Joleon Lescott sliced an attempted clearance past Oakes at his near post.

The own goal may have been fortunate but Pompey were good value for their way back in and they could have been ahead, only for skipper Darren Moore to have headed goal disallowed for pushing.

In the second half, Muscat hacked clear close to his own line from Lee Bradbury's shot and keeper Oakes needed two attempts to hold a long range shot by Thogersen.

But Wolves had good opportunities of their own in the second half.

Branch toe-poked wide with only the keeper to beat, Proudlock fired at Aaron Flahavan and the young striker then brought a superb diving save with a header from Branch's centre.

Teams:

Wolverhampton Oakes, Muscat, Lescott, Dinning, Naylor, Andrews (Emblen 70), Robinson, Osborn, Sinton (Ketsbaia 70), Proudlock, Branch.

Subs Not Used: Kerr, Tudor, Green.

Booked: Muscat, Dinning.

Goals: Sinton 20.

Portsmouth Flahavan, Harper, Crowe (Waterman 73), Moore, Hiley, Hughes (Rudonja 84), Thogersen, Miglioranzi, Quashie, Nightingale, Bradbury.

Subs Not Used: Claridge, Pettefer, Tardiff.

Booked: Crowe, Hiley.

Goals: Lescott 27 og.

Att: 20,869

Ref: B Curson (Walsall).