Carl Cort struck deep into stoppage time to keep alive Wolves' slim play-off
hopes against unambitious Stoke at Molineux.
Gifton Noel-Williams looked to have earned City the points with a fine
first-half finish, but Cort stretched Wolves' unbeaten run to 11 games in the
fourth minute of injury-time.
Both sets of supporters observed a minute's silence for former Wolves manager
Bill McGarry, who died on Tuesday.
McGarry, who was born in Stoke, had two spells in charge of Wolves
between 1968-1976 and 1985, steering the club to the 1972 UEFA Cup final.
Wolves midfielder Ki-Hyeon Seol forced the first save of the game in the 12th
minute with a fine effort which Steve Simonsen did well to push out for a
corner.
City midfielder Dave Brammer cleared the crossbar with a 20-yard free-kick and
then forced Oakes into making his first save of the game with a long-range
effort.
But it was Wolves, unchanged from the side that beat Burnley 2-0 in midweek,
who were enjoying most of the possession and creating the majority of chances.
Lee Naylor delivered a fine cross in the 28th minute which was cleared
straight to the feet of Kenny Miller, whose cracking volley whistled just over
the bar from a tight angle.
Wolves' best chance of the first half came seven minutes before the break when
Cort pulled his shot wide after good work from Seyi George Olofinjana.
And the home side were made to pay four minutes before the break as
Noel-Williams rammed home his fifth goal in four games to put Stoke ahead.
Miller lost possession in a dangerous position and he was punished by City
defender Clint Hill, who went on a surging run before picking out Noel-Williams
on the left.
The City striker made no mistake with a fierce drive into the bottom corner
from inside the area which left Wolves keeper Michael Oakes with no chance.
The Potters started the second half as they ended the first as on-loan
Southampton striker Kenwyne Jones found a yard of space to squeeze in a shot
which Oakes just managed to divert round the post with his fingertip.
But Wolves gradually started to up the pace as Simonsen made three great saves
to keep Hoddle's men at bay.
Mark Kennedy, Miller and Olifinjana were all denied by the former Everton
shot-stopper in the space of four minutes.
Hoddle decided to freshen up his side in the 65th minute my making a double
substitution, with Rohan Ricketts and Leon Clarke coming on for Miller and
Kennedy.
Simonsen came to Stoke's rescue again in the 73rd minute when he raced out to
save with his feet after Cort played in Nigeria international Olifinjana.
City were living on their nerves as Simonsen pulled off another fine stop to
keep out a shot from Ricketts, while the crowd thought Naylor had levelled nine
minutes from time when his fierce free-kick struck the side-netting.
Clarke had the chance to earn Wolves their 12th draw in their last 17 games
after a good lay-off from Joleon Lescott, but he shot wide.
Just as it looked as though the game was over Naylor swung in a free-kick
after Wayne Thomas handled, and Cort diverted the ball home for yet another
draw.
Teams
Wolverhampton Oakes, Naylor, Lescott, Craddock, Edwards,
Kennedy (Clarke 65), Ince, Seol, Olofinjana,
Miller (Ricketts 65), Cort.
Subs Not Used: Jones, Andrews, Cooper.
Goals: Cort 90.
Stoke Simonsen, Hill, Duberry, Taggart, Thomas, Clarke,
Brammer, Russell, Henry, Noel-Williams (Ricketts 61),
Jones (Harper 69).
Subs Not Used: de Goey, Neal, Buxton.
Booked: Thomas.
Goals: Noel-Williams 41.
Att: 28,103
Ref: C Foy (Merseyside).
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