Wolves
|
5 |
Stearman
|
|
|
19 |
Iwelumo
**
|
On The Bench
The second tier's top two sides played out an entertaining match in foggy conditions but both sides had to settle for a point that they probably would have accepted before kick off.
After a keenly-contested first half that saw Liam Ridgewell divert the ball onto his own post and Richard Stearman clear Marcus Bent's lob off the line, it was Blues who took the lead in the 48th minute.
Cameron Jerome, who had only been on the pitch for three minutes, found himself clean through and held off his marker far too easily before firing past Wayne Hennessey.
But Ebanks-Blake levelled for the home side with 16 minutes remaining, converting past Maik Taylor from the middle of the area after good work by Stephen Ward down the left.
The result ended Wolves' hopes of equalling a club-record eight successive victories but maintained their six-point lead over their Midlands rivals at the top of the table.
Wolves' attempts to play the offside trip nearly landed them in trouble after only six minutes when James McFadden evaded his static marker to put the ball past Hennessey, only for the referee's assistant to raise his flag.
The encounter settled into a fluid rhythm during the opening exchanges, with both sides playing plenty of passing football.
And it was Wolves who came closest to breaking the deadlock when Ward's throw-in missed a host of bodies in the area before clipping Ridgewell's shoulder and striking a post, much to the relief of a stranded Taylor.
The visitors then came within inches of taking the lead just minutes later as Bent latched onto a through ball from the lively McFadden and lobbed an onrushing Hennessey, only to see Stearman race back to clear the ball off the line.
Kevin Phillips tested Hennessey from distance and it was the away side who were looking more comfortable as the half went on, enjoying plenty of possession while nullifying Wolves.
Phillips fired a great chance straight at Hennessey from six yards, to leave the clash finely poised at the interval.
Radhi Jaidi had a great chance to give Blues the lead two minutes after the restart but he could only fire his effort well over the bar from 18 yards out.
But Blues finally broke the deadlock less than 60 seconds later.
On-loan Nigel Quashie played a through ball that Stearman failed to clear and Jerome, on for Phillips at the break, found himself in the clear and held off his markers before firing past Hennessey, via a deflection, from 15 yards.
The goal seemed to bring Wolves to life and Karl Henry blasted narrowly wide while Ward almost wriggled free in the area before seeing his effort blocked.
McFadden half-volleyed just wide as the game became more open but it was Wolves who levelled matters with 16 minutes remaining.
Ward broke free down the left side of the penalty area and evaded a sliding challenge from Jaidi before sliding the ball across to Ebanks-Blake who slotted home.
Stearman did brilliantly to nick the ball from the toe of Jerome when he found himself clean through shortly after, while Taylor saved well from Sam Vokes in a frantic finale.
