Wolves 0
Derby County 1 (Howard 34)
Despite a frantic finish during which the woodwork came to the rescue of Derby County, Wolves lost out to the East Midlanders who took the points thanks to a first-half header from Steve Howard.
Earlier, Jay Bothroyd's penalty had been saved by Rams keeper Stephen Bywater who was once on loan at Molineux.
Mark Little came in for his first League start and Bothroyd, the hero at Elland Road, returned up front with Carl Cort and Charlie Mulgrew dropping down to the bench. Former Molineux defenders Marc Edworthy and Mo Camara were in the County starting line-up.
Derby kicked-off attacking the North Bank end and, after both goalkeepers had collected dangerous centres, it was the visitors that had the first attempt at goal.
A rare slip by Gary Breen presented Howard with a shooting chance and Matt Murray took the ball at the second attempt after it had taken a deflection.
Little used his speed to beat Edworthy in a chase to the by-line but the youngster's cross was cut out by Bywater.
Then Bothroyd held off the attentions off Bob Malcolm and fired over from close range after collecting a centre from Darren Potter. The striker complained bitterly, but to no avail, that he had been held.
In the 20th minute it took a brilliant save from Murray to keep the scores level. When Morten Bisgaard cut into the area and fired towards the top corner a goal looked a certainty. But the keeper threw himself to his left to turn the ball behind.
Arturo Lupoli shot narrowly over the angle from the 18-yard line before Wolves were awarded a 22nd minute penalty after Michael Johnson had pushed Seyi Olofinjana.
Bothroyd stepped up to the spot but Bywater guessed correctly diving to his left to save. Wolves kept up the pressure on the Derby goal but two Daniel Jones corners came to nothing.
Camara was booked for a foul on Jermal Johnson but the visiting fans were cheering in the 34th minute when Howard headed County into the lead from close range. Lupoli was the man who did the damage beating three men before supplying a cross that left Howard with the easiest of tasks.
Adam Bolder went into the book for clattering into Potter before Jermal Johnson fired wide of the near post after cutting in from the left.
As the half drew to a close, Bothroyd hit a vicious 25-yard shot that went straight to Bywater, and when Little tried his luck from a similar distance, the Derby keeper again saved without moving his feet.
Half-Time: Wolves 0 Derby 1
Three minutes after the break Bothroyd held off Camara before slipping a clever pass to Johnson who stroked the ball only just wide of the far post.
But twice in a minute The Rams were close to increasing their lead. Lupoli charged into the Wolves area and was about to shoot when Jody Craddock produced a perfectly timed tackle.
Then Lupoli found himself with only Murray to beat but the keeper stood his ground to deflect the ball away and Craddock was there to block Howard's follow up shot.
Mick McCarthy then made two changes sending on Cort and Rohan Ricketts in place of Bothroyd and Jones.
Cort nodded down a deep centre from Potter and Rob Edwards' shot looped into Bywater's arms after hitting a defender.
Ricketts beat two men on a run along the 18-yard line but his shot on the turn was gathered by the Derby keeper.
Leon Clarke replaced Karl Henry but it took another good save from Murray to push over a Camara free-kick after Olofinjana had been harshly penalised for a tackle on Ryan Smith
Ricketts was denied again by Bywater after some good build up play by Wanderers then, with just two minutes remaining, Ricketts did beat the keeper only to see his shot bounce back off the foot of the post.
Clarke's header brushed the roof of the net following a cross from Edwards and Bywater was then booked for time wasting before taking the resulting goal-kick.
Wolves were camped in the Derby half in stoppage time but the visitors held on to their lead.
Wolves: Murray, Edwards, Little, Potter, Breen, Craddock (capt), Henry (Clarke 78). Bothroyd (Cort 57), J. Johnson, Olofinjana, Jones (Ricketts 57).
Unused subs: Ikeme, Mulgrew.
Derby: Bywater, Edworthy, Camara, Bolder (Nyatanga 90), Leacock, M. Johnson, Bisgaard (Barnes 68), Howard, Lupoli (Smith 78), Oakley (capt), Malcolm.
Unused subs: Peschisolido, S. Johnson.
Bookings: Camara (31 - foul), Bolder (38 - foul), Bywater (90 - time wasting).
Ref: N.D. Swarbrick.
Attendance: 21,546.
Goldrush Lucky 4 Half-Time Draw v Derby County: 4 - 5 - 11 - 16.
