Alan Irvine's side roared back from a goal down after 20 minutes to lead 2-1 at the interval and wrap things up on the hour mark.

It was a memorable day for Wolves old boy Stephen Elliott who grabbed two of the goals. Sean St Ledger knocked in the other.

It weas also a day to remember for boss Irvine who was ordered to the stand after throwing a water bottle to the floor in an angry outburst.

Wolves hit the crossbar and had a penalty decision reversed by referee Colin Webster after he had consulted his linesman.

Sylvan Ebanks-Blake had put the home side ahead after 20 minutes, gifted his 16th goal of the season when keeper Andrew Lonergan kicked a clearance straight to him 25 yards out.

But within four minutes Elliott had levelled, toe-poking the ball inside the near post from a Ross Wallace left-wing cross.

And three minutes before the break St Ledger knocked in the second from close range after a Jon Parkin header had cannoned off the crossbar.

The killer third came on 61 minutres when a Wallace cross was helped on by Sedgwick and Elliott finished from 10 yards.

At the start of the afternoon it was an unexpectedly scrappy opening from two teams with ideas of promotion this season.

Ebanks-Blake dragged a shot well wide and Richard Chaplow did the same at the opposite end in the early stages.

Wallace twice needed the attention of the North End physio, first after Richard Stearman followed through on a challenge and caught him on the shin and then when he fell awkwardly.

Wolves took the lead in the 20th minute and the league leaders were gifted the goal by a mistake from Lonergan. The keeper tried to clear a Mawene backpass but only booted it straight to Ebanks-Blake 25 yards out and the striker took the ball forward before finding the bottom right corner of the net for his 16th of the season.

It could have been 2-0 within a couple of minutes but Michael Kightly put the chance wide from close range.

But 60 seconds after that Preston clawed their way level and it was Wolves old boy Elliott who silenced Molineux.

Wallace set off down the left wing and then whipped in a low cross which Elliott met at the near post and toe-poked the ball in past keeper Carl Ikeme.

Elliott threatened again after 32 minutes, running at the Wolves defence before curling a shot narrowly wide of the far post.

Three minutes before the interval Preston found themselves in front and the home fans were stunned.

A McKenna corner on the right was headed on to the bar by Parkin, the ball came down on to the left-hand post and St Ledger followed up to knock it over the line.

North End went straight at Wolves after the interval and Parkin had the ball in the net within three minutes, but on offside flag ruled the strike out.

Elliott was not far away with another effort which flashed wide. But, on the hour mark, the Irishman was celebrating his second goal and Preston's third.

Once again Wallace was the provider, crossing in from the left, the ball fell for Sedgwick, his shot was screwed across goal and there was Elliott in exactly the right spot to knock it in from 10 yards.

Unaccustomed to being two goals down on the their own pitch, Wolves responded by piling forward and came close to pulling one back after 67 minutes when Iwelumo put a header on to the top of the North End crossbar. The striker also put a close-range header straight at Lonergan.

Molineux was in uproar after 74 minutes when Parkin chested the ball down in his own six-yard box in an attempt to clear, referee Colin Webster pointed to the penalty spot but then changed his mind after consulting the linesman nearest to the incident.

The relief on the Preston bench was unbridled, although two minutes later manager Irvine was ordered to the stand for something he said to the fourth official.

Not long after that Irvine was seen directing operations by mobile phone to his staff in the dugout.

With five minutes left on the clock North End could have made it 4-1 when Jones sent in a cross from the right but neither Elliott nor Parkin could turn it in as it flashed across the face of goal.

Earlier, ex-Wolves striker Elliott was handed a start as Preston North End took on his former club Molineux.

The Republic of Ireland international was brought back into the side after a lively cameo performance in last weekend's FA Cup tie against Liverpool.

Elliott replaced top scorer Neil Mellor who stepped down to the bench after a disappointing display against the Reds at Deepdale.

Manager Alan Irvine made one other change to the side which emerged with credit from that televised game, but unlike Elliott for Mellor this one was enforced.

Callum Davidson failed to recover from a rib injury in time to keep his place and he was replaced at left-back by youngster Eddie Nolan.

Championship leaders Wolves, who started the day four points clear of second-placed Reading, made four changes to the side which drew 2-2 at Blackpool almost two weeks ago.

PNE old boy Matt Hill, desperate to play against his former team-mates, dropped to the bench to make way for Stephen Ward.

Keeper Wayne Hennessy withdrew through illness and was replaced by Carl Ikeme.

Hamstring victim Kevin Foley was ruled out, allowing Michael Kightly to return from suspension on the right of midfield.

And with Michael Mancienne having returned to Chelsea at the end of his loan, Jason Shackell came in at centre-half.

Wolves: Ikeme, Stearman, Shackell, Collins, Ward, Kightly, Edwards, Henry, Jarvis, Ebanks-Blake, Iwelumo.

Substitutes: Keogh, Higgs, Vokes, Potter, Hill.

Preston: Lonergan, Jones, Mawene, St Ledger, Nolan, Sedgwick, Chaplow, McKenna, Wallace, Elliott, Parkin.

Substututes: C Neal, Nicholson, Brown, Whaley, Mellor.

Referee: Colin Webster (Tyne and Wear).