The hosts took the lead in the 23rd minute when Richard Stearman nodded the ball on for Sylvan Ebanks-Blake to fire into the top left hand corner.

Andrew Keogh drilled the ball home shortly after the hour mark to double Wolves' lead before Adrian Mariappa pulled one back to set up a nervy final 10 minutes for the home fans.

However, substitute Sam Vokes clinched the victory with a close-range header in the final minute shortly after coming off the bench.

Reading, who had closed the gap to two points after their victory over the leaders midweek, could only manage a goaless draw at QPR, who remain two points off a play-off spot.

And Kevin Phillips headed home a stoppage-time equaliser to snatch a point for Birmingham as they drew 1-1 at Sheffield Wednesday.

Phillips stole in at the far post in the 93rd minute to head Scott Sinclair's fine cross beyond Wednesday goalkeeper Lee Grant and salvage something from a game they appeared destined to lose.

Lewis Buxton had broken the deadlock  with his first goal for the club in the 56th minute.

Preston and Sheffield United played out a 0-0 draw but remain in the last two play-off spots, both on 48 points.

Paul Parry's 18th minute goal set Cardiff on their way to a 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest as their great run continues.

The Bluebirds were made to work for the points against an in-form Forest side, who enjoyed a sustained spell of second-half pressure before Jay Bothroyd's killer blow three minutes from time.

Cardiff are now unbeaten in 11 league matches - a run that stretches back to a mid-November defeat at Plymouth - and are only seven points off second placed Reading with a game in hand.

Forest remain in 17th following their first defeat under Billy Davies.

A last-gasp Steven Thompson goal spelt heartbreak for rock-bottom Charlton as they slipped to a 2-1 defeat at Burnley who move level on points with QPR.

Charlton have only won one away game this season but they took the lead shortly before half-time when Nick Bailey side-footed the ball home.

Burnley created nothing in the second half but they finally woke up with 14 minutes to go as Thompson fired Martin Paterson's header home.

And Thompson, who had come off the bench shortly after the hour mark, snatched the winner in the fourth minute of injury time as he slid in at the far post to knock Kevin McDonald's cross over the line

Bristol City kept alive their faint hopes of a play-off push with a comfortable 2-0 victory over out-of-form Barnsley, thanks to goals from Gavin Williams and former Barnsley winger Michael McIndoe.

Marek Saganowski's brace again rescued 10-man Southampton as they secured an unlikely 2-2 draw against play-off chasing Swansea.

The Polish forward gave the home side the lead after 17 minutes when he took full advantage of Garry Monk's poor backpass, only for Jordi Gomez's 10th of the season to level matters before half time.

Southampton's Lee Molyneux saw red for for two bookable offences shortly into the second half as substitute Gorka Pintado's third league goal of the season looked like making it six consecutive wins for the visitors.

Saganowski, however, netted his fourth in three games after 76 minutes to earn a share of the spoils for Saints.

First-half goals from Rob Hulse and Kris Commons helped Derby to their first win under Nigel Clough, 2-0 against Coventry.

Hulse headed the hosts into the lead in the 13th minute before Commons doubled their lead three minutes later with a low shot across goal.

Coventry got one back early in the second half. Although Stephen Bywater pulled off a fantastic save, he could only parry it away and the ball was put back in for Michael Doyle to fire home from close range.

Blackpool ground out a 1-0 victory at Crystal Palace despite playing most of the game with 10 men.

The visitors were up against it from the off as goalkeeper Paul Rachubka was sent off for a professional foul on Shefki Kuqi.

However, they took the lead five minutes from half-time when John Oster clipped Roy O'Donovan just inside the area.

The referee had no hesitation in pointing straight to the spot and DJ Campbell tucked it away for the only goal of the game.

Elsewhere, Plymouth did well to manage a goalless draw at play-off chasing Ipswich.