Wolves 3 Brighton 3 - match report

Roger Johnson rescued a hard-earned point for 10-man Wolves in a six-goal Molineux thriller.

After last season's torment, the £4m defender surely cemented his place with the Molineux masses when he dived to head home Bakary Sako's free kick a minute into time added on.

It was no more than Stale Solbakken's side deserved though from a gutsy performance that contained chances at both ends in a see-saw game that saw Wolves captain Karl Henry rightly sent off for a lunge on Liam Bridcutt on the stroke of half-time.

By then, Sako's fifth Championship goal had put Wolves ahead in the 22^nd minute only for David Lopez to equalise after a mistake by Sako on 43 which had Solbakken punching a hole in the roof of the dugout.

The half-time substitution of Tongo Doumbia for Sylvan Ebanks-Blake helped galvanise Wolves however and the Mali international produced a stunning goal on 61.

Will Buckley levelled for Brighton after an error by Doumbia 11 minutes later and Stephen Dobbie (89) put the Seagulls ahead from the spot with a somewhat fortunate penalty after a back heel hit Stephen Ward's hand from two yards away.

But Johnson saved the day for the Molineux men, who have gone six games without a win.

Solbakken made three changes to the side beaten 2-1 by Hull on Tuesday.

Doumbia's omission was the biggest of them, the on-loan Rennes midfielder losing his ever present Championship record.

His place went to Jermaine Pennant as Dave Edwards moved inside to central midfield.

Kevin Foley and Ebanks-Blake replaced Richard Stearman and Bjorn Sigurdarson at right back and striker respectively.

After a cautious start by both sides which saw Brighton show Wolves the way with their comfortable possession game, the visitors had the first half chance when David Lopez whistled a shot wide from distance.

Wolves eventually responded with a hanging header from Kevin Doyle which was eventually collected by former Albion keeper Tomasz Kuszczak from Ward's cross.

If Brighton showed the way with their pretty football, Wolves took the lead with a dash of style with what Solbakken hopes will become a trademark.

Pennant picked up possession 40 yards and carried the ball forward before finding Doyle with a short pass just inside the area.

Doyle produced a lovely flick into the path of Sako, who needed no second invitation as he drilled home his fifth Championship goal.

The goal calmed Molineux nerves but Brighton remained patient and Bruno Saltor flashed wide from 25 yards following a short corner.

Two minutes of madness turned the game on its head however.

First, Saltor set up Brighton's equaliser, crossing for Lopez after Sako's careless pass to Ward left the full back short.

Then Henry saw red for a lunge on Bridcutt to leave Wolves with a mountain to climb.

Solbakken responded by bringing on Doumbia at the break for the out-of-sorts Ebanks-Blake.

But Wolves were grateful to two let-offs either side of the hour mark as they struggled to stay on level terms.

Lopez scooped the ball over the bar from six yards after Johnson trod on a cross.

Then substitute Ashley Barnes headed against the bar from Stephen Dobbie's free kick.

Wolves returned fire at the other end when the diving Johnson sent a header just wide from Sako's corner.

The drama continued to flow as keeper Carl Ikeme saved from Dobbie before Johnson blocked Barnes's shot on the line.

Brighton must have thought they had won it when they went ahead for the first time in the 89^th minute when Dobbie fired his penalty into the roof of the net after a ball to hand by the unfortunate Ward.

But Wolves weren't finished however and Doumbia's header was cleared off the line by Barnes before Johnson equalised with a diving header from Sako's free kick to erupt Molineux.