Wolves stay in playoffs race with Ipswich draw

Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Benik Afobe kept its fading promotion hopes alive as his 31st goal of the season salvaged a 1-1 Championship draw against play-off rival Ipswich at Molineux.

Wolverhampton Wanderers remains in the playoff race, but only just. (AAP) Source: AAP

Afobe, who scored 19 goals on loan at MK Dons before joining Wolves from Arsenal in January, pounced after 50 minutes to cancel out a 21st-minute own goal from Richard Stearman.

It was a vital strike from Afobe as the Black Country side was heading for a third successive defeat which would have all but ended its play-off hopes.

While Wolves is just about still alive in the promotion race, Ipswich remains well placed for a top-six finish despite failing to hold on to the advantage it was presented by Stearman.

Ipswich boss Mick McCarthy, who was in charge at Wolves for almost six years before being sacked in February 2012, has steered it to 75 points and knows that winning its final two games of the season would secure a place in the play-offs.

Molineux manager Kenny Jackett had wanted a frenetic start and he got that through quick striker Nouha Dicko.

Dicko had been left out of the starting line-up for the previous game at Middlesbrough and he looked like he had a point to prove after his recall, with pace which tormented Tommy Smith and his central defensive partner, Wolves old boy Christophe Berra.

However, the host failed to make the most of his efforts and Ipswich was able to ride out the storm before taking the lead.

New Zealand international Smith rose above the Wolves defence and met a corner from Teddy Bishop that was glanced goalwards and deflected into his own net by the luckless Stearman.

Wolves took time to come to terms with falling behind and when it finally did force an attack of note Dicko saw his 33rd-minute shot blocked by Berra.

That sparked Jackett's team back into life and it was unlucky not to draw level six minutes before half-time when Ipswich failed to clear its lines.

The ball fell invitingly on the edge of the area to Dave Edwards, whose volley looked set to sneak just inside the post before Bartosz Bialkowski tipped it away for a corner.

Wolves took that freshly found momentum into the start of the second half and, after Dicko flashed a header from a Bakary Sako cross just wide, Afobe continued his prolific spell in front of goal.

Rajiv van La Parra's low drive was deflected into the path of Afobe, who reacted brilliantly to force the ball home at the far post.

With parity restored, Wolves carried more of a threat and Berra found himself working overtime to try and keep the dangerous Dicko in check.

Ipswich was penned in its own half for long spells and when it did break out, Freddie Sears failed to test goalkeeper Carl Ikeme as he dragged his 73rd-minute shot wide.

However, the host was by far the dominant force and Dicko looked set to make that pressure pay in the 76th minute - only to again be denied from six yards by another well timed block from the hard working Berra.

Failing to make the most of that pressure almost came back to haunt Wolves four minutes from time when substitute Chris Wood picked up the ball on the left flank and surged towards goal, only to see his shot curl agonisingly wide of Ikeme's far post.

And the host's frustration was capped in stoppage time when Dicko just failed to connect with a bouncing cross-shot from Kevin McDonald.