City: Simonsen, Hoefkens (Wilkinson, 72), Higginbotham, Duberry, Hill, Lawrence, Russell, Diao, Pericard (Sweeney, 54; Rooney, 79), Sidibe, Fuller.Subs Not Used: Eustace, Brammer.

Wolves: Murray, Little, Breen, Collins, McNamara (Clapham, 46), Kightly, Olofinjana, Henry, Potter, McIndoe (Edwards, 88), Craig Davies.Subs Not Used: Oakes, Johnson, Mark Davies.

A close encounter of the derby kind ended all-square thanks to Clint Hill's late equaliser.

The visitors took the lead after an hour from a corner, but the City defender's eighty-fifth minute header earned a deserved point in a match adversely affected by a swirling wind which made fluent football difficult in a typically competitive local clash.

Both goals came from set-pieces, and although both sides hit the woodwork in the first half, City made more of the few chances which came from open play and will be disappointed not to have converted one of them into a decisive goal.

Tony Pulis decided to start with three specialist strikers, including Vincent Pericard on the wide left of midfield in an attack-minded formation against a Wolves side which had been successfully playing a 4-5-1 line-up in recent away games.

The gusting wind didn't make things easy for the players, but it was Wolves who started better, with their midfielders taking the opportunity to move forward as they began to enjoy the lion's share of possession.

But after nineteen minutes City burst into life when Fuller burst through on the left to leave his marker for dead and smash a left foot shot which beat Matt Murray before slamming against his right-hand post and rebounding to safety.

Five minutes later a deep cross from the right from Liam Lawrence swerved in the wind to cause chaos in the Wolves rearguard, but City failed to take advantage before the ball was hacked away by a relieved Neil Collins.

After half an hour it was Wolves' turn to curse their bad luck when a rasping twenty-yard shot from Michael Kightly rattled the cross bar after a good build-up down their right.

Another well-placed corner and cross from the impressive Lawrence deceived the Wolves' rearguard before, four minutes before half-time, Fuller outpaced the uncomfortable Gary Breen to pull the ball back for Sidibe, who shot over the bar from the edge of the penalty area when he should have hit the target.

In time added-on Michael McIndoe went close for the visitors in a quick break before Fuller, who was looking City's best hope for a goal, beat two men with good close control, but left himself with too tight an angle for a successful shot.

Wolves' five-man midfield, organised by former City player Karl Henry, was proving a successful ploy in denying City space and the half-time stalemate was a fair reflection of the play.

City started the second half brightly and should have taken the lead after three minutes when Fuller's persistence and skill took him into the area, but when he switched the ball to Sidibe, the tall striker hesitated, allowing his attempt to be blocked.

After fifty-four minutes, Peter Sweeney replaced Pericard who had looked out of sorts on the left flank.

But it was from the other wing that a goal almost came when Hill's long diagonal ball from the left split the Wolves defence.  Lawrence bravely raced in for the ball, getting his foot to it before colliding with Murray. Unfortunately the ball passed just wide of the empty goal.

But it was Wolves who took the lead against the run of second-half play just after the hour when centre-back Collins got in front of Simonsen at the near post to meet Michael McIndoe's in-swinging right-wing corner.

The 'keeper was in decisive action a couple of minutes later with a fine save from Collins, tipping his header over the bar when a rattled City left two men unmarked at the far post.  This was to be the last serious threat on the Potters' goal.

Andy Wilkinson replaced the injured Carl Hoefkens after 72 minutes, but it was another attacking option that was needed, and it came with twelve minutes left when Adam Rooney replaced the clearly disappointed Sweeney, who had not been able to make an impression in the short time he had been on the field.  The left flank certainly lacks both the threat and balance which Lee Hendrie and Andy Griffin gave it.

Four minutes after the substitution, Sidibe headed just over from a Lawrence corner, but it was another excellent dead-ball delivery from the winger that brought the equaliser with six minutes left.

When he whipped in a free-kick from the left, Michael Duberry flicked the ball on to the far post where Clint Hill headed home from close range.

As both sides strove for the winner, the visitors forced two late corners before the ever-dangerous Fuller again saw his determination and skill almost pay dividends in the last minute, but Murray went down to parry his shot after the City striker, who had been a threat all afternoon, had broken down the right in a swift counter-attack.

City will be thankful for a point which looked as if it was going to elude them, but with a series of difficult away fixtures coming up, will count the result as disappointing.  Hard though the players tried, the fans, whilst grateful for the equaliser, will look on the match as two points lost rather than a point gained.

Bob James