Charlton Athletic 1 (Bailey 3)
Wolves 3 (Ebanks-Blake - pen 61, Vokes 81, 87)
After coming off the bench to win it for Wales in an international against Azerbaijan a week earlier, this time Sam Vokes did it for his club side as Wolves came from behind against Charlton for a victory which sees them maintain their place at the top of the table.
Mick McCarthy was hoping to send out an unchanged starting line-up but Chris Iwelumo, although named on the team sheet and having taken part in the pre-match warm up, was withdrawn just before the start suffering from the effects of a knock picked up in training on Thursday. His place was taken by Andy Keogh.
Wolves were backed by a sell out and vociferous following of 3,000 supporters.
In the first minute Richard Stearman's wayward backpass went out for a corner. Nicky Bailey took the kick and when the ball fell to Hameur Bouazza he tried a scissors kick that wasn't too far off target.
But the respite for Wanderers was brief as Bailey put Charlton ahead with a tremendous strike with just three minutes gone. Stearman headed out a cross and Bailey struck home an unstoppable volley from fully 25-yards out.
A Dave Jones corner was scrambled out to Michael Kightly on the edge of the box but, although the Wolves man got a shot in, the ball hit a defender allowing home keeper Nicky Weaver to save with ease.
Luke Varney screwed a shot wide from a good position after he had been set up by Andy Gray then Wayne Hennessey needed two attempts before holding on to a long range effort from Bouazza.
Weaver made a smart save from a low Kightly shot after good work from Stephen Ward and Jones had carved out the opening before Sylvan Ebanks-Blake almost conjured up an equaliser. The striker raced down the inside left channel and took the ball virtually to the by-line before hitting a shot that rolled across the face of goal and inches wide of the far post.
Ward's long crossfield pass eluded Kelly Youga and fell to Keogh who raced into the box and was about to shoot when Youga, who had recovered well, got in a last ditch tackle at the expense of a corner.
Corners from Kightly and Jones, in quick succession, came to nothing but Kightly almost did the trick with a glancing header that was just wide after a pinpoint cross from Matt Jarvis.
Just when Bailey's free-kick from the right looked destined for the head of Lloyd Sam, Neill Collins came to the rescue with a great clearing header to relieve the danger from a rare Charlton threat.
Wolves had dominated after those opening minutes and they fully deserved an equaliser. It looked like it had arrived five minutes before the break when Weaver could only palm out a fierce drive from Jones and Keogh was there to sidefoot home. But celebrations were soon cut short by the offside flag.
In stoppage time Stearman missed his kick as he tried to connect with a low cross from Jarvis.
Half-Time: Charlton 1 Wolves 0
Just 40 seconds after the restart Charlton should have had a second. Sam lifted a cross in from the right and Varney ran in but headed wide of the far post with the goal at his mercy.
In the 50th minute Ebanks-Blake let fly from 25-yards and the ball was a blur as it beat Weaver but sadly the striker's effort went the wrong side of the post.
Hennessey just beat Mark Hudson to Gray's flick on and then Bouazza fired wide after Varney had run from the halfway line before pulling the ball back.
Hennessey was in action again when he got down to smother Bouazza's shot on the turn before Wolves finally got the goal their attacking play had merited. It came from the penalty spot after Bailey had fouled Karl Henry just as the midfielder took a shot two-yards outside the Charlton box.
Jones took a quick free-kick rolling the ball to Keogh who was upended by Bailey who was booked before Ebanks-Blake drilled home the spot-kick.
After Fortune was shown the yellow card for another foul on Keogh two minutes later, Wolves sent on Vokes in place of Jarvis. And the Welshman almost made an instant impact but just failed to get a touch to Kightly's driven cross through the goalmouth.
Stearman went on a run from the halfway line to the edge of the 18-yard line but his final effort lacked the power to seriously trouble Weaver.
Weaver then beat down a 22-yard shot from Keogh and pounced on the loose ball before Vokes could capitalise. But, after Stearman had saved the day with a tackle on Gray when it seemed the Charlton man was odds on to score, Vokes struck in the 81st minute to the delight of the Molineux fans behind the goal.
Ward, who was enjoying an excellent game, delivered a cross from the left that Vokes neatly flicked beyond the reach of Weaver.
Two minutes later Jones was booked for tripping Youga outside the Wolves area. Bouazza's free-kick ballooned to safety off the defensive wall.
Three minutes from time Vokes sealed victory. Henry's run took him to within shooting distance but he picked out Kightly whose shot was parried by Weaver but only into the path of Vokes who headed into an empty net (pictured above).
Charlton: Weaver, Youga, Bailey, Hudson (capt), Holland, Gray (Dickson 79), Varney, Sam (Basey 79), Fortune, Cranie, Bouazza.
Unused subs: Ambrose, Elliot, Primus.
Bookings: Sam (45 - foul), Youga (54 - foul), Bailey (59 - foul), Fortune (63 - foul).
Wolves: Hennessey, Foley. S. Ward, Henry (capt), Stearman, Collins, Kightly, Dave Jones, Ebanks-Blake (Edwards 86), Keogh (Gray 90), Jarvis (Vokes 65).
Unused subs: Shackell, Ikeme.
Booking: Jones (82 - foul).
Referee: A. Taylor.
Attendance: 21,547.
Sheffield United Academy under 18s 0 Wolves 0
* Tickets are still available in advance for all areas of the ground for Tuesday's visit of Crystal Palace to Molineux.
The ticket office will be open until 7pm on Monday for ticket collections and counter sales only (The TicketLine will not be open).
Supporters are encouraged to collect tickets in advance to avoid congestion on the night of the game.
Tickets will be available to home supporters on the turnstiles of the Steve Bull Upper Tier and Billy Wright Upper Tier.
Away fans can pay on the turnstiles of the Steve Bull Lower Tier.
Car parking is available on Red Hill Street - call the Ticket Office on 0871 222 1877for details.
