Three goals in the last 14 minutes gave Wolves a deserved come-from-behind victory over struggling Bradford to move level on points with Manchester City at the top of Division One.

Dave Jones' side were well worth their sixth win in seven league games but had to be patient as chances came and went against a side kept in the game by the inspired form of on-loan Dundee United man Alan Combe.

Combe saved everything thrown at him for more than three-quarters of the game as Wolves endured some nervy moments in front of the live television cameras.

The hosts eventually got their reward as the goals flew in, two of them from the brilliant Dean Sturridge - who has now scored 13 times in only 16 games since joining in November.

Bradford had only two attempts at goal all match, their shock breakthrough from Ashley Ward in the 31st minute and an 89th-minute free-kick from substitute Juanjo which hit the defensive wall.

But City were within sight of three points after repelling a promising opening half-hour for Wolves which had no end product.

A well-worked goal broke the deadlock with the experienced Stuart McCall floating a pass out to the right to on-loan debutant Simon Grayson, who crossed first time.

Young defender Joleon Lescott hesitated in trying to cut the ball out and set up Ward, who cleverly made room before firing right-footed past Michael Oakes from nine yards.

From then until half-time, Combe kept Wolves at bay as he saved superbly from Nathan Blake, Sturridge and Shaun Newton.

And the pressure continued after the interval as Bradford rode their luck.

Gareth Whalley cleared off the line from Lescott, Paul Butler headed wide and Colin Cameron saw an angled drive tipped over.

Newton cut in from the right to shoot wide before heading down Mark Kennedy's 76th-minute cross for Sturridge to drive left-footed past Combe from eight yards.

Newton himself put his team in front in the 82nd minute with his eighth goal of the season - a scorching left-foot drive that went in off the foot of the post following Mohamed Camara's long centre.

And Sturridge completed Wolves' third successive win in injury time when he cheekily converted a penalty after he was hauled down by a desperate last-ditch tackle from Andy Tod.

Teams:

Wolverhampton: Oakes, Muscat, Lescott, Butler, Camara, Newton, Cameron, Andrews, Kennedy, Blake (Miller 71), Sturridge.

Subs Not Used: Robinson, Ndah, Pollet, Murray.

Booked: Camara.

Goals: Sturridge 76, Newton 83, Sturridge 90 pen.

Bradford: Combe, Grayson, Tod, Myers, Jacobs, Lawrence, McCall, Locke, Whalley (Juanjo 87), Ward, Grant (Jess 85).

Subs Not Used: Worsnop, Emanuel, Jorgensen.

Booked: Ward.

Goals: Ward 31.

Att: 21,935

Ref: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire).