Jody Craddock's header moved Wolves into third in the Championship after they fought back to defeat Cardiff at Ninian Park.

The Wanderers defender rose highest to meet Jay Bothroyd's 74th-minute corner to give Mick McCarthy's side a third straight victory.

Michael Kightly had twice netted for the visitors either side of a four-minute brace from City's veteran strike duo Robbie Fowler and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.

Darren Purse returned to the Bluebirds' starting XI at the expense of Roger Johnson, while Wanderers manager Mick McCarthy named the same side which beat Charlton 2-0 on Saturday, meaning Wales striker Freddy Eastwood was again forced to settle for a place on the bench.

Wolves, unbeaten in their last five games, began the brighter with Andy Keogh the first player to register an attempt, pulling his 20-yard effort wide of the right post.

The home side soon had a chance of their own, however, when Joe Ledley's inswinging corner fell to Purse, but the defender was unable to hit the target from 12 yards.

They were soon made to pay when Kightly stole in to meet Keogh's cutback from the right byline after 13 minutes for his second goal of the season, but Dave Jones' men did not take long to respond.

Kightly was the culprit when he felled Ledley inside the area 12 minutes later and Fowler coolly slotted the resulting penalty into the bottom-left corner.

Fowler turned provider soon after when he found his Dutch strike partner from out on the byline, and Hasselbaink clinically fired into the opposite corner to bring the pair's combined total up to 10 for the season.

Wolves goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey was equal to Glenn Loovens' header from another dangerous Ledley set-piece and opposite number Michael Oakes did well to parry a stinging 30-yard drive from Bothroyd but it was Hasselbaink's strike which separated the sides.

McCarthy brought on Stephen Ward for Darron Gibson in a bid to revive his side's fortunes after half-time and just five minutes later Eastwood was finally called upon.

It was the home side who initially continued to dominate proceedings, first Stephen McPhail trying his luck from 30 yards before an impressive five-man move from the Bluebirds forced Hennessey to deny Gavin Rae.

But it was Wolves who found the net and again they had Kightly to thank when the winger found the net from the right side of the six-yard box in the 66th minute.

Jones opted to replace the tiring legs of Fowler and Hasselbaink with Steve MacLean and Steven Thompson as the home side went in search of a winner.

It was not to be their day, however, as Craddock headed home Bothroyd's outswinging corner with 16 minutes remaining.

Eastwood had the chance to give them breathing space, but his shot was well blocked by Loovens and his defensive partner Purse did well to clear another dangerous Bothroyd set-piece.

Hennessey was twice called into action late on to deny Thompson and Rae but the Bluebirds' efforts were to prove in vain as Wolves moved within eight points of leaders Watford.

Cardiff: Oakes, McNaughton, Purse, Loovens, Capaldi, Parry, McPhail, Rae, Ledley (Sinclair 83), Fowler (Thompson 67), Hasselbaink (MacLean 74).

Subs Not Used: Forde, Johnson.

Goals: Fowler 25 pen, Hasselbaink 29.

Wolverhampton: Hennessey, Foley, Craddock, Darren Ward, Neill Collins, Kightly, Olofinjana, Gibson (Stephen Ward 46),Henry, Bothroyd (Potter 89), Keogh (Eastwood 50).

Subs Not Used: Little, Stack.

Goals: Kightly 13, 66, Craddock 74.

Att: 15,000

Ref: Paul Taylor (Hertfordshire).