Motherwell 1 (McGarry 3)

Wolves 1 (Ebanks-Blake 20)

Wolves earned a creditable draw and could even have won the game thanks to an impressive attacking display at Motherwell.

After conceding an early goal, Mick McCarthy's men drew level through Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and went close on several occasions, twice having efforts ruled out by the offside flag.

Stephen Ward was wide with a low shot before Motherwell took a third minute lead in their first attack.

Steve Hammell's crossfield pass was flicked on by Dave Clarkson to Steve McGarry who netted with a 15-yard drive.

David Jones tested home keeper Graeme Smith with a right foot shot after Andy Keogh had laid the ball into his path.

Keogh then went down under a challenge from Steve Craigan as he turned after collecting Ward's centre, but the referee ignored the justifiable penalty appeals that followed.

The Irish international then outstripped his marker and pushed the ball to Ebanks-Blake who fired narrowly wide before Motherwell almost grabbed a second following a mistake by George Elokobi.

The Cameroon defender, playing in central defence, failed to spot Chris Porter when he passed back to Wayne Hennessey who then make a tremendous point blank save to deny the Motherwell man.

But Wolves were piling on the pressure and they deservedly levelled matters in the 20^th minute when Michael Kightly's pinpoint pass was headed in by Ebanks-Blake from three-yards out.

Bob Malcolm's foul on Ward to the left of the Motherwell box resulted in a free-kick from Kightly that flew through a forest of legs and appeared to get a touch from Keogh before creeping in at the far post.

But celebrations by the sizeable support that had travelled up from Wolverhampton were cut short by the linesman who ruled Keogh was in an offside position.

Smith spread himself to save from Keogh after some lovely football involving Kightly and Ebanks-Blake who had backheeled the ball into Keogh's path.

Shortly before the break, Kightly hit a low shot that had Smith diving full length to push the bal out at the expense of a corner.

Half-Time: Motherwell 1 Wolves 1

Darren Smith shot high over the bar from a tight angle and then, after a lucky bounce had put him in the clear, Clarkson was denied by Hennessey who saved with an outstretched boot.

Ward looked a certain scorer as he ran in on a Kightly centre but he was just beaten to the ball by Paul Quinn who headed behind for a corner.

A tremendous cross-shot from Ward was deflected inches wide of the far post and then substitute Chris Iwelumo just failed to get his foot to a driven cross from Matt Jarvis.

The ball ran to Ward who, from the tightest of angles, found the net. But once again Wolves were denied bythe offside flag that ruled out what looked like a perfectly good goal.

Iwelumo's momentum had carried him into the back of the net but he was deemed to have been stood in an offside position.

Sam Vokes hit a shot on the turn that looked destined for the top corner until Smith managed to fingertip the ball round the post.

And, in the final minute, the striker showed more of his potential when he went on a surging run through the heart of the home defence after taking Neill Collins' short pass.

Collins kept running and was in position to take a return pass from Vokes that left him in the clear. But Smith saved the day for Motherwell when he saved the defender's shot with his legs.

Motherwell: Smith, Quinn (Connolly 75), Hammell, Reynolds, Craigan, Malcolm (Hughes 45), Porter (Slane 68), Clarkson (Murphy 68), Fitzpatrick (Lasley 45), O'Brien (Smith 45), McGarry (Maman 45).

Unused subs: Imley, Archdeacon.

Wolves: Hennessey, Foley (Little 68), Harte (Craddock 68), Henry (capt) (Davies 82), Stearman (Gray 82), Elokobi (Collins 75), Kightly (Jarvis 68), David Jones (Edwards 68), Ebanks-Blake (Iwelumo 68), Keogh (Vokes 75), S. Ward (Daniel Jones 75).

Unused subs: Ikeme, D. Ward.

Referee: E. Smith.

Attendance: 2,338.

Pictured: Sam Vokes in action at Firs Park.