Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 Saints 2

He impressed ten miles down the road from Molineux as caretaker manager of Wolves' great rivals West Bromwich Albion following the sacking of his former Middlesbrough boss Bryan Robson at the Hawthorns 18 months ago.

So that will have made gaining such a dramatic point on his return to these parts as a fully-fledged Championship manager even more satisfying.

History was on his side - Saints have not lost in six visits to Molineux since the winter of 1979.

But this match was never going to be a repeat of the 6-0 and 4-1 wins of recent years and, sure enough, two poor sides drew a first-half blank.

After an immaculate minute's silence for former Wolves scout Carl Hoddle - the brother of ex- Saints and Wolves boss Glenn died of a heart attack aged 40 at the weekend - neither side forced either keeper into a save of note.

Kelvin Davis created problems when he came for a right-flank free kick he had no chance of collecting.

And Wolves defender Gary Breen was relieved not to be sent off when, as the last defender, he upended Stern John.

The chances that were created were wasted and both sides were culpable.

Wolves midfielder Dave Edwards failed to deliver a quality final ball when Sylvan Ebanks-Blake was screaming for the ball on the edge of Davis's six-yard box.

And after running at the Wolves defence, John blazed wide.

When Jhon Viafara attempted to chip Hennessey from 40 yards in first-half injury time, only to slice the ball into touch, the lack of quality plumbed new depths.

Not until the 57th minute was there a shot on target.

After replacing Davis after Saints' No 1 suffered a dead leg and a dislocated finger, sub goalkeeper Michael Poke, making his senior Saints debut, dived low to his right to clutch Ebanks-Blake's effort.

The Wolves faithful responded with sarcastic cheers and chants of we've had a shot on goal' .

Kevin Kyle could only find Poke's side netting before being hauled off, but the match opened up after Wolves' double substitution on the hour.

Within a minute, Ebanks-Blake turned Andrew Davies one way and then the other before giving Wolves the lead by slamming past Poke.

After David McGoldrick had been brought on as a 63rd-minute substitute, the match reached a crescendo.

Viafara tested Wayne Hennessey for the first time with a snap shot that was turned behind for a Saints corner.

And ten minutes after coming off the bench, McGoldrick won a controversial penalty.

Right-back Kevin Foley was shepherding the Saints youngster on the edge of Hennessey's area when McGoldrick appeared to fall unchallenged.

Referee Colin Webster had no hesitation in pointing to the spot and after a two-minute delay while McGoldrick received treatment, Gregory Vignal stepped up to bury the most emphatic of penalties inside Hennessey's left-hand upright.

By netting his second spot kick in as many away games, Vignal has established himself as Saints' manto- turn-to from 12 yards.

But seven minutes later, having only just been booked for shirtpulling, the former Liverpool and Portsmouth left-back was handed a straight red card for appearing to react to a shove by kicking out at Ebanks-Blake on the touchline adjacent to the Steve Bull Stand accommodating the Saints fans.

Webster gave Vignal his marching orders after being alerted to the incident by the linesman on the far side.

After Vignal had strolled across the pitch back to the Saints dug out, Wolves capitalised on their numerical advantage when Ebanks-Blake hooked in his second.

Substitute Andy Keogh headed left-back George Elokobi's cross back across goal and, with Davies spreadeagled on the edge of the six-yard box, Ebanks-Blake netted his fifth in the Championship since his January move from Plymouth Argyle.

Saints' hopes of a point appeared to be over when McGoldrick fired over the bar .

But, in the fourth minute of injury time, Jason Euell - a first half sub for the injured Inigo Idiakez - arrived in the penalty area unmarked to head in Mario Licka's corner.

It was a dramatic end to a game that improved as it went on.

Euell has had to watch the last two matches from the substitutes' bench but got his chance when Idiakez limped off after half an hour before displaying the Dell spirit that has been the hallmark of Pearson's first four games in charge.

Euell let out the frustrations of Saints' season with his ecstatic celebrations by the corner flag.

Saints may still be looking for their first win under Pearson, who covered very blade of glass in his technical area last night.

But the glass is half full as far as the new manager is concerned.

That's three matches unbeaten - and counting...

Daily Echo Man of the Match: Wayne Thomas
On this evidence it will be difficult for loan defender Ian Pearce to get back in.