Cardiff City 2 (Fowler-pen 24, Hasselbaink 29)
Wolves 3 (Kightly 13, 56, Craddock 74)
After trailing at the interval, Wolves hit back at Ninian Park to record a fine win over Cardiff City and maintain their position in the play-off positions at the top of the table.
Wanderers were unchanged and they made a bright start with Andy Keogh shooting wide with a shot on the turn following a Jay Bothroyd pass.
Then City went close to breaking through twice in a four minute spell. Joe Ledley's corner was headed back into the heart of the box by Gavin Rae but when the ball fell to Darren Purse he hooked his shot over the bar.
The home team's two veteran strikers then combined with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink allowing Stephen McPhail's pass to go through his legs dummying the Wolves defence and leaving Robbie Fowler clean through on goal.
The former Anfield ace looked a certain scorer but Wayne Hennessey ran from his line to narrow the angle and Fowler screwed his shot wide of the far post.
With 13 minutes gone Wolves moved into the lead. Bothroyd advanced to the edge of the City box and lost out in a block tackle. But the ball ran into the path of Keogh who sent in a short, low cross that was turned over the line by Michael Kightly from point blank range.
Hennessey had to race from his area to clear from Hasselbaink as City looked to hit back, but the keeper stood little chance as the Bluebirds levelled from the spot in the 24th minute.
Karl Henry looked to completely mistime his tackle on Ledley just inside the box and Fowler sent Hennessey the wrong way with the resultant penalty.
Five minutes later and the situation worsened for Wanderers as Cardiff took the lead. Fowler controlled Paul Parry's centre and turned the ball into the path of Hasselbaink who made no mistake from eight-yards out.
From the restart the travelling fans behind Michael Oakes' goal howled for a Wolves penalty as Keogh went down under a challenge from Glenn Loovens before colliding with the former Molineux keeper. The Irish international was able to resume after treatment and play restarted with an unopposed drop ball for Oakes.
Shortly before the interval Bothroyd nearly did the trick when he intercepted McPhail's pass and let fly a terrific 30-yard shot that drew an equally good save from Oakes.
Half-Time: City 2 Wolves 1
Stephen Ward, an interval replacement for Darron Gibson, was soon involved and his short pass to Kightly almost led to a Wolves leveller - Kightly's 20-yard drive flying inches wide.
Seconds later Rae tried a shot from a similar distance at the other end but the ball flew straight into the midriff of Hennessey.
Mick McCarthy then made a second change when he sent Freddy Eastwood on in place of Keogh.
Wolves were forcing their hosts back and the home defence were struggling to get to grips with Kightly's pace so it didn't come as a surprise when he deservedly put Wolves back on level terms.
The game was in its 56th minute when Kightly completely outstripped Loovens as he ran in from the right. The Dutch defender attempted to pull him back but Kightly shrugged off the challenge before delivering a low, angled shot into the opposite corner of the net. Immediately after the goal Fowler was replaced by Steve Thompson.
Wolves continued to push forwards and with a little over 15 minutes remaining Jody Craddock's towering header (pictured) from Bothroyd's corner sailed into the net to stun the home crowd.
Cardiff threw everyone forward in an attempt to salvage something from the game in the closing stages.
Hennessey had to dive to gather a headed back pass from Kevin Foley and then the Welsh international made a magnificent save turning aside Thompson's piledriver from outside the area.
In stoppage time a Trevor Sinclair free-kick from near the right hand corner flag was floated into a packed area. Even Oakes was up for the home side and although he got a head to the ball as it bounced to and fro, the danger was eventually cleared upfield and the points were Wolves'.
City: Oakes, McNaughton, Capaldi, Rae, Purse (capt), Loovens, Fowler (Thompson 57), McPhail, Parry, Ledley (Sinclair 83), Hasselbaink (MacLean 74).
Unused subs: Forde, Johnson.
Wolves: Hennessey, Foley, N. Collins, Olofinjana, D. Ward, Craddock, Kightly, Henry, Keogh (Eastwood 51), Bothroyd (Potter 89), Gibson (S. Ward 45).
Unused subs: Little, Stack.
Referee: P. Taylor.
Attendance: Not announced.
