Ki-Hyeon Seol chalked up yet another point for Wolves with a late equaliser at Preston which earned his side their 11th draw in 15 matches in the league under Glenn Hoddle.

Promotion-chasing North End, who have lost just once in 14 Coca-Cola Championship matches, twice took the lead; firstly in the third minute through Richard Cresswell, then in the second half with a Graham Alexander penalty after Joleon Lescott was adjudged to have fouled Eddie Lewis in the area.

But a rare Jody Craddock goal - his first of the season - had pulled Wolves level in the 10th minute and the impressive Seol hauled his side back into the game for a second time with 17 minutes remaining.

In-form striker David Nugent forced a corner that was taken short by North End. Lewis found space wide on the right and the American picked out Cresswell, who had pulled away from Seyi Olofinjana, six yards out, giving the striker a simple header for his 17th of the season with just two minutes on the clock.

But the visitors were level in the 10th minute. Lee Naylor's free-kick from the left was just too high for Lescott, but found his central defensive partner Craddock at the far post and Craddock scored with a low shot back across goal to restore parity.

Cresswell went close again midway through the first period. Set free down the left flank by Brian O'Neil's lofted pass, the former Sheffield Wednesday and Leicester man's clipped shot narrowly flew wide of the far post.

Lewis was also lively and an exchange of passes with Cresswell sent him galloping into the area, only for his cross-shot to suffer the same fate.

Kenny Miller went in the book for a crude lunge on North End skipper Chris Lucketti as the temperature began to rise a little.

Preston started the second half as they had the first and nearly took the lead again in the 48th minute through Nugent.

The £100,000 signing from Bury is turning out to be one of the bargains of the season and, having picked the ball up on half-way, he shrugged off a challenge from Paul Ince and hit a 25-yard drive which Michael Oakes did well to divert onto the top of the post, before Cresswell's follow-up flew dangerously across the six-yard box.

However, nine minutes into the second half they were ahead again after Lewis went down in the area under a challenge from Lescott.

It looked harsh but referee Andre Marriner had no hesitation in pointing to the spot and Alexander slammed home the resulting spot-kick, sending Oakes the wrong way to chalk up his fifth penalty of the season to make an impressive tally of seven goals from right-back.

Oakes then started a personal duel with Nugent as North End threatened to run riot. Firstly he palmed away another effort from wide, and then pulled off another fine low stop from a long-range drive as he battled to keep his side in the game.

Midway through the second period Wolves spurned a glorious opportunity to pull level.

Seol beat Alexander and McKenna on a 70-yard run before squaring to Miller, who saw his powerful shot rebound back off the bar and then skied over with a second attempt.

Miller and Carl Cort spurned further chances as Wolves struggled to find another equaliser, which finally came their way through Seol.

The South Korean kept his feet on the edge of the area despite a heavy challenge from McKenna and drove into the bottom corner of Chris Day's net.

North End almost gave an immediate reply but Oakes stopped Cresswell's header from Chris Sedgwick's cross and they had to settle for a point.

Teams:

Preston Day, Alexander, Mawene, Lucketti, Davidson, Sedgwick, O'Neil (Etuhu 81), McKenna (Davis 90), Lewis (Agyemang 82), Cresswell, Nugent.

Subs Not Used: Ward, Mears.

Goals: Cresswell 3, Alexander 53 pen.

Wolverhampton Oakes, Edwards, Craddock, Lescott, Naylor (Cooper 71), Olofinjana, Ince, Kennedy, Seol, Cort, Miller (Clarke 89).

Subs Not Used: Cameron, Jones, Andrews.

Booked: Naylor, Miller, Ince.

Goals: Craddock 10, Seol 73.

Att: 16,296

Ref: A Mariner (Coventry).