Aston Villa 3 Wolves 2
Juan Pablo Angel's two-goal blast moved Aston Villa out of the Barclaycard Premiership's bottom three - but left Wolves deep in relegation trouble after a splendid second-half rally proved in vain.
Angel took his tally for the season into double figures and just for good measure he played a significant role in the build-up to the decisive third goal from midfielder Gareth Barry.
Villa manager David O'Leary had stressed the need for his side to show more sharpness in front of goal in the battle of the sides with the worst scoring records in the top flight - just 11 each in 15 games going into today's clash.
Angel came up trumps although the first Premiership goal on home soil since New Year's Day still eludes Darius Vassell. Midfielder Gavin McCann and stand-in centre-back Dion Dublin also impressed but Wolves deserve credit for the way they grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck in the final half hour.
They were driven forward relentlessly by midfield dynamo Alex Rae and had Villa hanging on desperately for the three points.
Villa seized control of the game with two goals in the space of two first-half minutes from leading scorer Angel. The opener after 21 minutes was created by Barry who spun sharply just outside the Wolves penalty area and left Oleg Luzhny - starting his first Premiership game for Wolves - trailing.
He had time to steady himself before drilling the ball across goal and Angel slid in to apply the finishing touch at the far post.
The cheers from the Holte End had barely died down before Angel doubled their lead. Mark Delaney was freed down the right by Gavin McCann and he raced to the by-line before squaring the ball back for Angel to divert past Oakes into the corner of the net.
Wolves, without an away win this season, had a mountain to climb and Paul Ince's frustration earned him a booking for a clumsy tackle on Barry. But after 36 minutes Dave Jones' side gave themselves a life-line as they reduced the arrears through Rae, who burst into the Villa penalty area and capitalised on the ball rebounding off Barry before drilling a low shot past Sorensen.
Villa needed only three minutes of the second period to restore their two-goal lead with Angel this time turning provider. It was his delightful first-time pass that allowed Delaney all the time in the world to steady himself before sending over a low cross and Barry volleyed in with his right foot at the far post.
Villa were then forced into a substitution with Sorensen, who had needed treatment after being caught in the chest by Ince in the first half, replaced by Stefan Postma. Angel continued to cause problems and he rose to head a deep cross from Barry just over Oakes' crossbar but Ince was refusing to throw in the towel and Postma was forced to beat away his low testing 18-yard drive.
Mark Kennedy then should have done better when he ghosted in at the far post to connect with a Rae centre but he sent his weak header straight at Postma who also beat out a Rae thunderbolt. But Kennedy did make it 3-2 with 10 minutes left when he raced onto substitute Kenny Miller's pass and slipped his low shot past Postma to set up a grandstand finish.
Villa were forced to hang on although in injury-time Angel side-footed wide from 10 yards out when he looked certain to complete his hat-trick.