Andy Keogh slammed home a last-minute equaliser for Wolves just as it seemed their play-off hopes had hit the buffers against 10-man Sheffield Wednesday.

Mick McCarthy's side were heading for a second successive defeat after they had won six on the trot to propel themselves into the top six.

Wolves crashed at Coventry last week and all seemed lost at Hillsborough with Wednesday holding onto a slender lead given them by Steven MacLean just seconds into the second half.

MacLean kept his cool to slide home from the edge of the penalty area, with Michael McIndoe's header cancelling out Deon Burton's opener in the first period.

But young Irishman Keogh found himself clear when the ball broke for him just inside the penalty area with the game heading into stoppage time and fired inside Iain Turner's left-hand post to save the day.

A top-six finish would appear beyond the Owls, but Brian Laws' side gave a raucous Hillsborough crowd of 24,181 plenty to enthuse about as they outplayed and out-muscled the visitors for long periods.

Both managers made just one change. Steve Watson returned to the Owls' midfield with Kenny Lunt dropping to the bench, while Jamie Clapham started in the Wolves back four in place of Jackie McNamara.

Wolves started with the confidence of a side which has lost only two of their last 10 league matches, with Stephen Ward firing into the side-netting early on.

But Wednesday are unbeaten in their last five and Glenn Whelan's thumping 20-yard drive following neat build-up involving MacLean flew inches wide.

Richard Wood's blushes were spared in the 18th minute when home goalkeeper Turner, called up into the full Scotland squad this week, leapt high to stop the defender's header flying into his own net.

The Owls went ahead minutes later though. Frank Simek's throw was headed into the box by skipper Lee Bullen and Burton was quickest to react, toe-poking the ball beyond Matt Murray.

Chris Brunt's curling free-kick skimmed the crossbar soon after and when Keogh beat Turner to a through-ball to prod the ball goalwards, Wood showed his athleticism to sprint back and hook the ball off the goalline.

But Wolves drew level in the 35th minute when McIndoe headed Michael Kightley's cross into the top corner for his fifth goal of the season.

The Owls stunned Wolves within seconds of the restart, MacLean swapping headers with Burton in midfield before racing clear and holding his nerve on the edge of the penalty area to fire beyond Jan Budtz, a half-time replacement for Murray.

Brunt should have given Wednesday a two-goal cushion in the 57th minute when found unmarked and in space following Burton's burst into the area, but the young Irishman's shot was smothered by the on-rushing Budtz.

Wolves stepped it up with quarter of an hour remaining and probed on the edge of the Wednesday penalty area, only for the home defence to hold firm.

MacLean then headed Brunt's cross over after a swift counter-attack and passions were stirred with 10 minutes to go when home chants of "USA" following American defender Simek's clattering challenge on McIndoe quickly turned to cat-calls as referee Jonathan Moss showed the left-back a straight red card.

It appeared Wednesday were going to hold on to their slim lead, but in the 90th minute Keogh popped up in the area and kept his nerve before rescuing a point for the visitors.

Sheff Wed Turner, Bullen, Gilbert (Spurr 74), Wood, Simek,Whelan, Tudgay, Brunt, Watson, MacLean (Lunt 82), Burton.

Subs Not Used: Adamson, Folly, Lekaj.

Sent Off: Simek (81).

Booked: Burton, Brunt.

Goals: Burton 22, MacLean 47.

Wolverhampton Murray (Budtz 46), Neill Collins, Breen,Clapham, Edwards (Craddock 71), Olofinjana, Potter, McIndoe,Kightly, Ward (Bothroyd 72), Keogh.

Subs Not Used: Mark Davies, Craig Davies.

Booked: Clapham, Keogh.

Goals: McIndoe 35, Keogh 90.

Att: 24,181

Ref: J Moss (West Yorkshire).