Wolves 2 (Iwelumo 36, Ebanks-Blake 79)
Charlton Athletic 1 (Zhi 51)
Wolves moved another step closer to promotion but they didn't have it all their own way against bottom of the table Charlton Athletic and they needed a scrappy late goal to secure all three points.
After Chris Iwelumo had opened the scoring against his old club, the Londoners hit back with a Zheng Zhi leveller before Sylvan Ebanks-Blake missed from the spot.
The winner, which appeared to come off a mixture of Ebanks-Blake and Charlton defender Matt Holland, meant that Wanderers have opened up a ten point gap between themselves and third placed Reading following the Berkshire team's home defeat against Ipswich.
Michael Kightly started in place of Kyel Reid who took a place on the bench. Otherwise Mick McCarthy's team was unchanged as they kicked-off attacking the South Bank end.
In the third minute Kightly fired in a great cross from the right that Holland just managed to deflect away from Ebanks-Blake and Iwelumo as they charged in.
Charlton threatened when Tom Soare's beat the offside trap on the right wing. He was in oceans of space and after taking the ball to the by-line he hit a low cross that travelled dangerously through the six-yard box.
The ball was cleared upfield to Stephen Ward who won the game's first corner which was taken by Kightly and headed clear from the heart of a congested area by a defender.
Christophe Berra was penalised for a challenge on Soares on the edge of the 'D' but Nicky Bailey's free-kick bounced clear off the defensive wall.
On 25 minutes a Bailey shot was deflected to Zhi who rolled the ball into the net but the flag had already been raised for offside.
Matt Hudson headed a Dave Jones corner against his own post but the referee had spotted an infringement, and then Kevin Foley was somewhat harshly pulled up for a tackle on Bailey on the left-hand corner of the home area. Matt Spring's free-kick curled straight into the arms of Wayne Hennessey.
Charlton were getting men back behind the ball at every opportunity and chances were at a premium but Wolves made the breakthrough in the 36th minute.
Kightly, who heads the 'assist charts' in the Championship, added to his tally when he chipped the ball into the box. Dave Edward's couldn't reach it but Iwelumo did, firing into the top corner despite keeper Rob Elliot getting a touch.
Iwelumo almost had a second just a minute later but Elliot narrowly beat him to Kightly's through pass.
Kightly's challenge on Kelly Youga earned the winger a booking with the referee indicating persistent fouling as the offence.
Half-Time: Wolves 1 Charlton 0
Karl Henry was an interval replacement for Ward.
Zhi stunned Molineux when he fired Charlton level with a shot from 20-yards with 51 minutes gone. He took a pass from Holland and checked inside two defenders before scoring with an effort that appeared to take a deflection.
In Charlton's next attack they were close to taking the lead with Soares heading wide following a cross from Zhi.
Mick McCarthy made a second change when he switched Andy Keogh for Edwards.
A corner from Jones was half cleared to Kightly whose first time volley was taken by Elliot and then, after a shove by Danny Butterfield on Kightly, Iwelumo got a head to Kightly's free-kick but Youga cleared at the expense of a corner.
In the 69th minute Wolves were awarded a penalty when Berra fell under a double challenge from Holland and Youga with the referee indicating a shove.
After a mass protest from the Charlton players Elliot dived to his left to save Ebanks-Blake's spot-kick.
Kightly had a chance when he took a cross from Matt Hill but his shot lacked the power to trouble Elliot. But what turned out to be the winning goal arrived in the 79th minute.
From Jones's corner Iwelumo headed on at the near post and as Ebanks-Blake and Holland challenged, the ball looped up and over the line (pictured).
Wolves: Hennessey, Foley, M. Hill, Jones, Craddock (capt), Berra, Kightly, Edwards (Keogh 63), Ebanks-Blake (Vokes 87), Iwelumo, S. Ward (Henry 45).
Unused subs: Higgs, Reid.
Booking: Kightly (39 - persistent fouling).
Charlton: Elliot, Youga, Bailey, Zhi (Shelvey 88), Hudson (capt), Holland, Spring (Dickson 81), Racon, Butterfield, Kandol, Soares (Ambrose 73).
Unused subs: Randolph, Basey.
Referee: G. Laws.
Attendance: 24,319.
Manchester United Under 18s 1 Wolves 2 (Mendez-Laing 2)
Goldrush Lucky 4 Half-Time Draw v Charlton Athletic: 1 - 13 - 14 - 18.
Golden Goal Time: 35 minutes 50 seconds.
