Sylvan Ebanks-Blake's second-half penalty sent Wolves five points clear at the top of the Coca-Cola Championship.

The striker kept his nerve from the spot after Crystal Palace defender Clint Hill had tripped Michael Kightly in the area as Wanderers' recent poor run came to an end in atrocious conditions at Selhurst Park.

It meant only a second win in 12 games for Mick McCarthy's side, who have only stayed at the summit thanks to the altitude sickness also afflicting Birmingham and Reading lately.

Both sides struggled to adapt to the swirling wind and driving rain in south London but Palace, themselves struggling for form and tumbling down the table, will count themselves unlucky with Paul Ifill rattling a post before Ebanks-Blake struck.

Mick McCarthy's men were almost let in by a comical defensive mix-up between Palace centre-halves Matt Lawrence and Jose Fonte in the first 10 minutes.

Kightly's cross was too far in front of Chris Iwelumo and destined for Palace keeper Julian Speroni until Lawrence decided to stick out his boot out, almost letting in the big Wolves frontman.

Fonte arrived on the scene but his attempted clearance struck Lawrence's backside and fell to Ebanks-Blake, whose low shot was gratefully held by Speroni.

Shortly after Kightly sped into the penalty area and drove in a low cross-shot which was blocked on the goal-line in unorthodox fashion by the heel of the diving Hill.

David Edwards thought he should have had a penalty when he was barged in the back by Fonte but referee Graham Horwood was not interested, and Speroni pulled off a fine save to keep out Iwelumo's deflected shot.

The visitors almost shot themselves in the foot as the interval approached when Jody Craddock sliced Sean Scannell's cross towards his own net, but the ball spun clear.

Palace came even closer shortly after the break when Ifill's low free-kick from 25 yards fizzed through the wall and was finger-tipped onto the post by Wayne Hennessey at full stretch.

Another defensive mix-up, this time between Craddock and Hennessey, almost gave Ifill a clear run on goal but the Wolves keeper recovered in time.

And Wolves finally made the breakthrough in the 74th minute when Hill was adjudged to have hauled down Kightly and Ebanks-Blake made no mistake for his 22nd goal of the season.

They should have gone further ahead before full-time but George Friend could not convert Ebanks-Blake's cross at the far post.

Teams

Crystal Palace Speroni, Clyne, Lawrence, Jose Fonte, Hill,Derry, Danns, Hills (Oster 67), Scannell (Stokes 61), Ifill,Lee (Scowcroft 77).

Subs Not Used: Ertl, Rui Fonte.

Booked: Scannell, Lawrence.

Wolverhampton Hennessey, Foley, Craddock, Berra, Hill,Kightly (Stearman 90), Henry, Edwards, Friend,Iwelumo (Vokes 89), Ebanks-Blake (Keogh 84).

Subs Not Used: Darren Ward, Reid.

Booked: Berra, Craddock, Hill, Henry.

Goals: Ebanks-Blake 74 pen.

Att: 14,907

Ref: Graham Horwood (Bedfordshire).