DICKSON Etuhu scored with his first touch after coming off the bench - but it wasn't enough to give North End all three points.

The Nigerian midfielder - rumoured to be interesting Laurie Sanchez for a place in the Northern Ireland squad - was brought on to replace makeshift striker Adam Nowland after he suffered a groin strain.

Etuhu joined Patrick Agyemang up front - fellow striker David Nugent's return from a skin infection delayed once again after he contracted a sickness virus which has swept the North End camp - and stabbed the ball over the line from Paul McKenna's corner.

Wolves had huffed and puffed in front of a critical home crowd all half but had failed to make their work count after Carlo Nash saved well from Kenny Miller and Vio Ganea, while Darren Anderton proved a constant threat to the North End defence.

Glenn Hoddle forced a faster pace on his players in the second half, but North End had the best chance of the second half.

Lewis Neal flicked the ball to David Jones - by far North End's best player on Saturday - who broke down the left before cutting infield and hitting a terrific close-range shot which cannoned off the right hand post.

Wolves broke towards the other end where Seol Ki-Hyeon's cross into the area was volleyed home by Romania Ganea, who was promptly booked for jumping the advertising boards to celebrate with the home fans.

That yellow card proved costly because just 10 minutes after his goal, Ganea got his marching orders after lunging late on McKenna to earn a second yellow.

Despite losing Ganea, Wolves still came the closest to taking the lead, Nash once again the hero when he saved at Miller's feet from Rob Edwards build-up.

North End piled on the pressure at the other end but couldn't make a string of corners count, but the draw brought boos for Hoddle's men on the final whistle.