MICK McCARTHY'S best laid plans for celebrating his century of games in charge at Sunderland would most certainly have involved a Sunderland win and a place at the top of the championship.

Neither were forthcoming at Molineux last night but a hard-fought draw against a competitive Wolves side at least keeps the Black Cats on the tails of the top two, Ipswich and Wigan.

The Sunderland boss must have made the call to start icing the cake after Stephen Elliott had put his side in front inside a quarter hour, but before the piping was even dusted down South Korean Ki-Hyeon Seol headed home after a Thomas Myhre error.

The first half was full of chances of quality play, but after the break both side appeared to run out of steam and ideas as the game petered out into a tame draw.

It was Elliott's 13th goal of the season and the top scorer was constant menace.

His goal was a gem - coming out of nothing - with a curling left-footed strike that left Wanderers keeper Michael Oakes grasping at thin air.

The Sunderland boss, however, will be more angry that the lead lasted barely a minute.

His record of 32 defeats in his time in charge doesn't appear too encouraging at first glance, but when you consider that ten of those came consecutively in his first ten games at the club the turnaround has been excellent.

Having taken over a club doomed to relegation from the Premiership and on the cusp of a financial crisis that still looms large at the Stadium of Light, the former Republic of Ireland manager's work on Wearside has brought admiring glances from boardrooms across the country.

Midfielder Carl Robinson recently admitted the players are aware they have a manager in demand, meaning the Wearsiders need must satisfy McCarthy's desire to manage at the highest level sooner rather than later.

Last night's result could be regarded as a minor slip up in that aim with Sunderland still seen as the best bet for automatic promotion.

The Sunderland boss took the unusual step of naming his side the day before the game with Collins duo, Danny and Neill, replaced by his most experienced centre back pairing of Gary Breen and Stephen Caldwell. The duo returned after knee and calf injuries respectively.

Jeff Whitley was back to add some steel in midfield in place of Sean Thornton who was relegated to the bench along with Danny Collins.

After a cagey opening ten minutes, where Whitehead introduced himself to Wolves left back Lee Naylor with a crunching challenge, and then Robinson and Paul Ince introduced themselves to each other in a similar manner, the game exploded into life with two goals in a minute.

Stephen Wright played Whitley in down the right, the midfielder held up play before setting up Elliott on the edge of the area and he curled home a sublime left-footed effort in the 12th minute.

The Black Cats lead lasted barely 60 seconds.

Mark Kennedy's cross from the left towards the penalty spot appeared meat and drink for the centre-backs but what appeared to be a call from Myhre caused panic in the Sunderland defence.

The cross was left for the Norwegian keeper but Seol beat him to it and his looping header fell into an un-guarded net.

Game on and Kennedy's delivery started ringing alarm bells in the back four. Three minutes later the Republic of Ireland international got to the byline all too easily before cutting the ball back for Kenny Miller.

The striker took two touches before firing across Myhre's goal when he should have burst the net.

Back came Sunderland and George McCartney's 25-yarder was heading for the bottom corner but his left-foot strike was pushed past his right hand post by Oakes.

Lescott was next to try his luck just before the half hour with a training ground move. Kennedy's corner was delivered to the edge of the box but the centre-back's first time volley was just over the bar.

The chances were arriving regularly for both sides and Miller had another opportunity to put the home side in front on 38 minutes.

Kennedy was again the creator as his ball from the left was headed into the Scot's path in the box by Seyi Olofinjana, but his early shot was held by Myhre.

But back came Sunderland and tormentor-in-chief Elliott was again in the thick of the action.

Julio Arca's cross was dummied by Elliott but the ball came back to the former Man City striker but his instant shot on the turn from eight yards was just past Oakes left hand post.

Elliott again tested Oakes a minute later but the keeper scrambled across his goal to push clear his shot from 25-yards which appeared to be drifting wide.

Former Black Cat Jody Craddock ended the half on a sour note with a booking for a crude foul on Robinson after the Wolves centre-back needed treatment following an earlier clash.

At half-time Wolves replaced Olofinjana with Colin Cameron - the idea to offer Carl Cort more support. The problem, however, appeared to be that the former Newcastle United striker appeared none too interested in the first half.

Judging by the opening quarter hour after the break he still appeared none too interested.

After an early Ince effort flew over the bar the Wanderers found themselves on the back foot.

The left sided combination of Arca and McCartney was causing the brunt of the problems, and their efforts created a chance for Robinson in the 50th minute but his effort was turned away by Oakes in the home goal.

The temperature at Molineux was falling fast and so was the standard of football on offer.

Both teams struggled to take command of a game and a chance-filled first 45 minutes was replaced by a dour struggle with strikes on goal at a premium.

Result: Wolverhampton Wanderers 1 Sunderland 1.

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