WOLVES came into this game on the back of three consecutive draws, and so the odds were on another stalemate at Selhurst Park.

So it proved as, depite the home side's best efforts, the points were shared in an eventful, if not particularly inspiring game of football.

The afternoon's first effort in anger was fired in on eight minutes by Hughes, whose free-kick took a wicked deflection en route towards the Wolves goal, where Stefan Postma was on hand to tip over.

Minutes prior to that Morrison bore down on goal, only for his charge to be halted by the lineman's flag. The visitors' main threat in the opening stages appeared to come down their right flank through Seol, but Boyce's marshalling of the South Korean international was exemplary.

Until this point Johnson had been relatively quiet, but after 13 minutes he burst into life with a turn and shot from the edge of the box which rolled narrowly wide of Postma's goal.

Three minutes later the on-loan 'keeper was called into action when Soares broke into the box, but his shot ultimately lacked conviction.. Against the run of play the deadlock was broken as Seol, who had briefly switched flanks, sent over a low cross which evaded everyone including Speroni, and the Argentinian could only watch on in horror as the ball trickled into the corner of his goal.

The opening goal heralded an extended period of pressure from the visitors, with young midfielder Tom Huddlestone at the heart of most moves. But slowly Palace began to work their way back into the game, and on the half hour mark Morrison carved out a chance for his strike partner Johnson which the England international nudged narrowly wide.

At the other end Miller came perilously close to giving the visitors a two-goal advantage, but Speroni somehow clawed the Scot's swerving shot away with a fine fingertip save.

The former Dundee stopper landed awkwardly and appeared to be winded, but Paul Caton's magic sponge seemed to do the trick and he was back on his feet to claim the resulting corner.

On the stroke of half-time he was beaten by Anderton's angled drive after Ward had missed his kick, but fortunately for Palace's disgruntled following his shot rolled just wide of the upright.

That looked to be that for the half, but just as the referee threatened to blow his whistle, that man Johnson claimed his seventh goal of the season with a crisp low drive into the corner of Postma's goal.

The strike was just reward for Palace's first-half endeavours, and would have made the interval teas taste that much sweeter for the Selhurst faithful.
The second period began in sprightly fashion, with the home side unquestionably on top.

However it was the away side who registered the first effort of the half, Anderton volleying a shot goalwards which was easily dealt with by Speroni.
Five minutes later Huddlestone's crisp left-footed drived seemed destined for the corner, but as the crowd held their collective grasp the ball instead found the advertising hoardings.

As the pressure on the home side increased Speroni pulled off another fine save from the Wolves captain Kennedy, but moments he almost blotted his copy book by spilling the ensuing corner.

Fortunately the ball failed to fall to a Wolves foot, allowing Leigertwood to scramble to safety. On the 65 minute mark Palace were again let off the hook when Anderton's chip fell to Miller in the six yard box, but he showed signs of rustiness by skewing his left-footed half-volley horribly wide.

Five minutes later the first change of the game arrived when Jon Macken was introduced in place of the tiring Freedman, and the former Preston man's first contribution was a cross which caused panic in the Wolves box.

A floated centre from Hughes moments later almost found Macken's head, but the impressive Lescott was on hand to head away. The home side were now undoubtedly on top, and as if to prove the point Watson fired in a shot from the edge of the box which was flicked over the bar by an outstretched Wolves boot.

As the Eagles onslaught continued Wolves' Hungarian centre back Gabor Gyepes was booked for a cynical tug on Johnson, whose had a free-kick cleared to safety moments earlier.

Johnson's striker partner Morrison then flicked a header wide, and that was his last act as the Republic of Ireland striker was withdrawn seconds later in favour of McAnuff.

On the stroke of 90 minutes man-of-the-match Boyce fired in a hopeful effort, but it flew high over Postma's goal and with it went Palace's hopes of securing a win.

Line-ups:
Palace (4-3-3): Speroni; Leigertwood, Popovic, Ward, Boyce; Soares, Watson, Hughes; Johnson, Freedman (Macken 70), Morrison (McAnuff 80).
Subs not used: Kiraly, Hudson, Andrews.
Scorer: Johnson (44).
Booked: Macken, Popovic.

Wolves (4-4-2): Postma; Edwards, Gyepes, Lescott, Naylor; Seol, Huddlestone, Anderton, Kennedy; Miller, Ganea (Clarke 75).
Subs not used: Oakes, Olofinjana, Ross, Ricketts.
Scorer: Seol (18)
Booked: Seol, Kennedy, Gyepes.

Referee: M Thorpe
Attendance: 19,385.