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Wolves 1-1 Fulham: Fletcher, Johnson scored
Substitute Andy Johnson scored a late equaliser moments after coming on as Fulham dented Wolves' survival hopes with a 1-1 draw at Molineux.
In a scrappy contest, Steven Fletcher's first-half header had looked as if it was going to be enough to take Mick McCarthy's side out of the relegation zone.
However, the visitors looked the classier outfit throughout and got a deserved equaliser 10 minutes from time when Johnson smashed home from the edge of the area less than a minute after coming on.
Fulham boss Mark Hughes was sent to the stands midway through the second-half for kicking the turf after being unhappy with a decision, but he will be pleased that his side have edged one point closer to safety.
Wolves, on the other hand, are still very much in the mire, although the point does see them move up one place to 19th, and with Wigan losing at Sunderland, they are now just one point behind Blackpool and Wigan above them.
Fulham were the crisper passers in the opening half and nearly went in front after just three minutes when Wayne Hennessey had to bat a fine Carlos Salcido 30-yard effort away for a corner.
From that resulting set piece, Fulham came close again but Aaron Hughes couldn't quite get on the end of a header from Brede Hangeland.
Then in the 17th minute Clint Dempsey blazed over from close range after a lovely first-time volleyed cross from Salcido.
Wolves were struggling to string two passes together, but a nice move saw them take the lead against the run of play in the 22nd minute.
Adlene Guedioura played Karl Henry down the right and the Wolves captain then stood-up a perfectly weighted cross for Fletcher; the Scottish striker then got in front of Chris Baird to guide an unstoppable header into the corner of the net.
The rest of the half was a scrappy affair with lots of petty fouling on either side but by and large Michael Oliver was sensible with his decisions and Richard Stearman was the only player booked in the first 45 minutes.
Fulham had a couple of half-chances to draw level before the break with Simon Davies embarrassingly falling on his backside after a Dempsey check-back, while the American also had a couple of threatening moments of his own.
The second-half followed a similar pattern as Fulham played the better football, without creating a hatful of chances.
Eidur Gudjohnsen should have done better with one effort after a mazy run worked him into a shooting position in the 52nd minute, while Dembele just failed to turn the ball home from close range after a spill from Hennessey.
Fulham's substitutes helped change the game, although manager Hughes had to order them from his mobile phone in the stands after being sent-off in the 57th minute. The Welshman was unhappy with a yellow card dished out to Hangleland and started kicking the turf in protestation which led to his dismissal.
Bobby Zamora (only on the bench due to a slight knock), Gael Kakuta, and then a little later Johnson, all came on and gave Fulham a bit more of an edge in the final third.
When Fulham did finally breakthrough in the 80th minute it came uncharacteristically from a long ball; Christophe Berra, under pressure from Zamora, could only produce a poor defensive header straight to Johnson just inside the box, and the former England international then smashed home a right-footed drive past Hennessey just seconds after coming on.
Berra felt he was fouled by Zamora but it looked a fair goal, and after that it was Fulham who looked the more likely side to nick a winner.
Kakuta had two decent efforts in quick succession just before the end, one saved, the other just wide, but the match eventually finished in a draw.
Wolves will be disappointed with the solitary point given they were in front for such a long time, but the draw was the least Fulham deserved for playing the better football for long periods.
Seán Fay / Eurosport
Source: uk.eurosport.yahoo.com
Team Line-up:
Wolverhampton: Hennessey, Stearman, Craddock, Berra, Ward, Guedioura, Henry, O'Hara, Jarvis, Milijas, Fletcher; Subs: Hahnemann, Kightly, Ebanks-Blake, Vokes, Hammill, Mancienne, Foley
Fulham: Schwarzer, Baird, Hughes, Hangeland, Salcido, Davies, Sidwell, Murphy, Dempsey, Gudjohnsen, Dembele; Subs: Stockdale, Kelly, Johnson, Etuhu, Kakuta, Zamora, Greening
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