*Sylvan Ebanks-Blake’s late penalty earned Wolves a deserved point against Midlands rivals Aston Villa at Molineux.*

Villa looked on course to maintain their best start to a Premier League season since 1999 when Gabriel Agbonlahor steered substitute Emile Heskey’s pass beyond Wolves keeper Wayne Hennessey with only 11 minutes left.

But Wolves responded and equalised four minutes later to claim a vital draw after Steve Sidwell needlessly felled Michael Kightly in the area and Ebanks-Blake slammed home a ferocious spot kick.

It gave Mick McCarthy’s side a fair reward on an afternoon high on endeavour but short on real quality, especially from a Villa side who have made such an impressive start to the new campaign.

Indeed McCarthy may feel Wolves should have come away with three points after creating the best opportunities in a first-half spell of supremacy which saw a clear penalty claim denied when Richard Dunne fouled Kevin Doyle, Christophe Berra’s header kicked off the line by James Milner and Ebanks-Blake miss two good chances.

Wolves, ultimately, were grateful for a point after Agbonlahor’s late strike looked to have punished them for running out of attacking ideas after the break.

Villa were unchanged from the side that earned an outstanding victory against Chelsea last Saturday - and should have built on that platform by taking the lead in the opening seconds.

Agbonlahor was left with only Hennessey to beat after a long clearance, but a tame and lazy finish allowed the Wolves keeper to make a crucial block.

Molineux then reverberated to the sound of anger when referee Peter Walton ignored valid a penalty claim from Wolves after Villa defender Dunne appeared to drag back his Republic of Ireland colleague Doyle as the pair wrestled for possession in the area.

Villa’s pace, as ever, made them a dangerous proposition on the break but it was Wolves who fashioned the more presentable opportunities in a first 45 minutes played in appalling conditions, with torrential rain sweeping across the stadium.

Berra headed just wide and then Milner was perfectly positioned to clear a close-range effort from Doyle off the line following a corner.

Wolves showed a pleasing determination to play a passing game, and Ebanks-Blake should have done better than hook over the top from eight yards after Berra headed down Kightly’s corner.

He also steered a header wide when Villa were caught out from a free-kick, the sort of chance Wolves need to be taking if draws are to be transformed into victories.

Villa showed renewed attacking ambition in the opening moments of the second half, with Sidwell failing to take advantage of time and space in the area and Ashley Young curling a shot wide of the target.

John Carew - whose afternoon was summed up by an effort early in the second half that skewed 30 yards behind him and out for a throw in on the opposite side of the pitch - was replaced by Heskey with 20 minutes left as Villa boss Martin O’Neill pressed for the victory.

And Villa thought they had made the breakthrough within four minutes of Heskey’s arrival when Sidwell’s shot looked bound for the back of the net until it struck team-mate Dunne.

Heskey was instrumental as Villa took the lead on 79 minutes, playing in Agbonlahor, who spun Jody Craddock and scuffed a finish beyond Hennessey.

Villa’s lead last only four minutes, and Sidwell was the culprit for throwing Wolves a lifeline back into a game that looked to be slipping out of their reach.

He was guilty of a reckless challenge on Kightly in the area that left referee Walton with a simple decision to point to the spot - leaving Ebanks-Blake to complete the formalities with a thunderous strike that gave Brad Friedel no chance.

Molineux celebrated wildly as Wolves claimed a point that may prove crucial - but for Villa boss O’Neill there was only the disappointment of seeing two points cast carelessly aside late on.

*Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill:*

“It probably is a fair result. Wolves were the better team in the first half - we didn’t play well at all and couldn’t get hold of ball like we did against Chelsea.

“We improved pretty well in the second half and I thought we might see that one through.

“But it was a battle. We were never able to get it down and play. It was a slog but at least we’re unbeaten which helps move the scoreboard along.”