Wolves frustrated by Charlton
Charlton's new manager Guy Luzon made an impressive start as his side frustrated high-flying Wolves to pick up a valuable point in a 0-0 Sky Bet Championship stalemate at Molineux.
The draw ended a run of four successive league and cup defeats for Charlton and brought Wolves' surge up the table to a sudden halt.
Kenny Jackett's side had been searching for a fifth Championship win in a row but they could not find a way past a Charlton side who kept a clean sheet for the first time in nine league games.
Clear cut chances were few and far between for either side as Charlton stood firm in the face of some strong second-half pressure.
With Wolves pushing hard for promotion and Charlton in freefall down the table, it should have been a game that the hosts quickly stamped their authority on.
But Wolves struggled to make any kind of breakthrough against a Charlton defence that was well marshalled by the experienced duo of Andre Bikey and Tal Ben Haim.
A blocked shot from winger Rajiv Van La Parra and a weak drive from right-back Dominic Iorfa were the best that Wolves could muster in a very low key opening spell.
Left-back Iorfa then headed a free-kick from James Henry just wide as Wolves toiled.
Charlton, with an animated Luzon urging them on from the sidelines, carried even less of a threat going forward.
But in what was a rare moment of menace, they could have broken the deadlock eight minutes before half-time.
A teasing right-wing cross from Johann Berg Gudmundsson caught the Wolves defence flat-footed but the lunging Charlton striker Igor Vetokele was inches away from turning the ball goalwards.
Following such a relatively low-key first-half, both sides immediately seemed more intent on searching for a breakthrough at the start of the second period.
Wolves' captain Danny Batth's goal-bound header was cleared by Bikey before Charlton immediately set the alarm bells ringing in the Wolves defence with a little purple patch.
Goalkeeper Carl Ikeme was forced to dive full length to turn away a 20-yard drive from the hard working Callum Harriott in the 48th minute and seconds later Gudmundsson saw his shot blocked by central defender Richard Stearman.
Wolves had sent on Nouha Dicko at half-time to join-up with recent arrival Benik Afobe in attack but it was Dutch wide-man Van La Parra who looked their most likely route to goal.
He was denied by goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic and then saw a shot blocked by Morgan Fox.
While it was Wolves who enjoyed the greater possession and threat, Charlton were dangerous themselves on the break and it needed a brave save by Ikeme at his near post after substitute Tony Watt had powered his way into the area.
Wolves' frustration was summed up in the 84th minute when Scott Golbourne picked out Afobe with an excellent left-wing cross.
But Afobe was only able to steer his close range header straight into the arms of the grateful Dmitrovic.
Source: PA
