Wolves held on for a narrow win against Burnley to revive their ailing promotion hopes and give their suffering fans some much-needed respite.

The Premiership hopefuls have fallen away from the play-off places after winning just three of their last 13 league games and were booed at the weekend following a dismal draw with rock-bottom Crewe.

But a 15th-minute strike from captain Paul Ince and a resolute rearguard performance at Turf Moor began to win back the hearts of the fans and renew hope of a top-six finish.

Wolves matched Burnley for chances in the opening 25 minutes but attacked little for the rest of the game and were left holding on as the hosts pressed for an equaliser in the second half.

Wade Elliott and Chris McCann came into Burnley's starting line-up and combined for the game's first shooting opportunity, McCann firing well over after Elliott laid off a free-kick, and James O'Connor then forced a good save from Stefan Postma after Jon Harley's cross was cleared.

Kenny Miller came into the Wolves side along with Maurice Ross and youngster Mark Davies, and was deployed on the left with Mark Kennedy a late withdrawal from the starting XI.

It was Celtic-bound Miller that created his side's first threat, Carl Cort glancing his cross into the arms of Brian Jensen.

Cort got his head to another centre before he cleverly laid on the opening goal for Ince from a deep cross by right-back Ross.

Cort nodded down for the Wolves skipper on the edge of the box, and although his shot was straight at Jensen, it was too hot for the Burnley goalkeeper to handle and the ball spun into the roof of the net.

Jensen was again at fault in the 20th minute when his poor kick clear ended up at the feet of Tomasz Frankowski, although the Danish keeper managed to touch his shot wide.

Burnley roused the home crowd with Michael Ricketts shooting narrowly over from outside the box, but Lee Naylor and Cort both had firm shots parried by Jensen.

The hosts controlled the rest of the half, though without managing to fashion any further chances, and they came out the more determined to score after the restart.

Ricketts was lively, dropping back to pick up possession before delivering a dangerous left-wing cross which was cleared.

The half's first opening then fell for John McGreal following a Harley corner, but the Clarets centre-half blazed high and wide from 12 yards.

Postma saved low from Ricketts and John Spicer sliced a volley over from the edge of the box.

An equaliser looked increasingly inevitable with Ricketts putting a speculative volley over from the right while midway through the half, Micah Hyde's 18-yard effort was comfortable for Postma.

Wolves might have clinched it when Cort was released on the left in the 77th minute and squared for Frankowski, but the Polish international, still looking for his first goal since joining in January, sliced wide from 16 yards.

But the Clarets were left frustrated as they failed to go any closer late on and their efforts went unrewarded.

Teams:

Burnley Jensen, Elliott, Duff, McGreal, Harley, Spicer,James O'Connor, Hyde, McCann (Branch 63), Noel-Williams, Ricketts.

Subs Not Used: Karbassiyoon, Garreth O'Connor, Courtney, Pugh.

Booked: Ricketts, McGreal.

Wolverhampton Postma, Ross, Lescott, Craddock, Naylor, Davies,Ince, Rosa (Anderton 75), Cort, Frankowski (Aliadiere 80),Miller.

Subs Not Used: Oakes, Kennedy, Ganea.

Booked: Rosa, Ross.

Goals: Ince 15.

Att: 11,056

Ref: C Oliver (Northumberland).