Paul Peschisolido struck in injury-time to keep Sheffield United in control of the fight for third position in Division One after an enthralling clash at Bramall Lane.

Peschisolido had opened the scoring after just two minutes but the Blades looked destined for a fourth home defeat of the season following goals from George Ndah and Dean Sturridge, who struck twice.

But Peschisolido was allowed to break clear in time added on and the striker beat Wolves goalkeeper Matt Murray with a quality volley to keep Neil Warnock's side above the Molineux club in the table.

The draw also meant Reading moved back above Wolves, who are now fifth in the table, with sixth-placed Nottingham Forest completing the line-up for the play-offs.

With both teams already assured of a play-off place, Neil Warnock opted to rest Michael Tonge and Carl Asaba - scorer of both goals during the Easter Monday win over Leicester - but their absence did not appear to affect his side.

United's start could hardly have been any better, the hosts taking full advantage of some early uncertainty in the Wolves defence.

Peschisolido had come close to finding the net within 10 seconds of the kick-off - collecting a loose pass and running at goal before firing a 20-yard shot narrowly wide - but the striker made no mistake with a second opportunity moments later.

Joleon Lescott's clearance was charged down by Peschisolido on the touchline, and the United forward ran in-field to the corner of the box before lifting a perfect lob over keeper Murray.

The Blades were denied a second after 10 minutes when Murray dived at the feet of of Steve Kabba to claw away an excellent pass from the lively Peschisolido, but United's rapid start was halted as Wolves suddenly forced an equaliser with a speedy counter-attack.

Sturridge collected the ball on the halfway line and fed a perfect pass to Ndah who outpaced the United defence and buried a low shot through Paddy Kenny's legs.

Wolves were desperately unlucky not to find the net again shortly after when Sturridge rattled the bottom of Kenny's post with a shot from the edge of the box, and United defender Shaun Murphy was then forced to scramble Mark Kennedy's scuffed effort off the line with half an hour gone.

But the United backline was caught out for the second occasion in injury-time, allowing Sturridge to punish some dreadful marking.

The Wolves forward was left alone on the edge of the six-yard box, and he drove a hopeful cross from Alex Rae past Kenny's outstretched hand.

United's response after the break was almost immediate, Mark Rankine dragging a shot wide from an excellent position, but another piece of woeful defending from Lescott handed the Blades an equaliser in the 55th minute.

Kabba chased a long pass into the box but, with the ball heading out of play, Lescott needlessly clattered into the back of the striker.

Michael Brown took responsibility for the penalty and hammered the ball past Murray from 12 yards.

But five minutes later, the Bramall Lane crowd was silenced again by the second penalty of the game.

Robert Page brought down Colin Cameron inside the area, and Sturridge sent Kenny the wrong way with a shot into the side of the net.

Murray kept his side ahead with a brilliant save to keep out Rankine's goalbound header, and the Wolves keeper excelled again with 20 minutes to go, tipping Peschisolido's near-post header over the crossbar.

The game looked to be getting away from United, but in the second minute of injury-time Peschisolido beat Murray with a stunning 25-yard volley which salvaged an unlikely point for the Blades.

Teams:

Sheff Utd: Kenny, Curtis, Murphy (Jagielka 45), Page, Kozluk, Rankine, Montgomery (Allison 67), Brown, Morrison (Tonge 75), Kabba, Peschisolido.

Subs Not Used: Asaba, Ndlovu.

Booked: Peschisolido.

Goals: Peschisolido 2, Brown 56 pen, Peschisolido 90.

Wolverhampton: Murray, Edworthy, Lescott, Butler, Naylor, Cooper, Cameron, Rae, Kennedy, Sturridge, Ndah.

Subs Not Used: Newton, Pollet, Miller, Clingan, Oakes.

Booked: Rae.

Goals: Ndah 10, Sturridge 45, 62 pen.

Att: 22,211

Ref: J P Robinson (E Yorkshire).