A point closer, a game nearer.

Thirty-seven matches down and three points ahead became 38 and still three points clear in the Championship’s latest round of ‘follow the leader’ for Wolves last night.

For the fans, the frustration of their team’s failure to break down a safety-first Ipswich must have disappeared almost as quickly as their post-match pints as the results from elsewhere filtered through.

Because while Wolves huffed and puffed but couldn’t blow down Ipswich’s rock-solid house, a similar story was unfolding across the country.

The entire top six all failed to win as the Championship That Everyone Wants To Lose continued its meandering path towards a mystery conclusion.

For Wolves, it was the unusual experience of a goalless draw – the first of 2008-09 after 114 goals in 37 games, and indeed their first in 44 League games going back to April 12, 2008 at Bristol City.

But it was therefore reassuring that just as they struggled to find a way through Ipswich’s massed ranks, Reading’s Wolves-like run continued as they drew 2-2 against rock bottom Charlton – Steve Coppell’s side have now won one in seven.

With some irony, it was a foul by Charlton’s on-loan Wolves defender Darren Ward that gifted Reading the chance to draw level from the spot.

Blues’ stumbling form also continued as they scraped a 1-1 draw at Barnsley.

So back to Molineux, where Wolves weren’t as fluent last night as they were at Hillsborough on Saturday. Then again, in South Yorkshire they weren’t confronted by such a suffocating blanket of players blocking their route to goal, as Ipswich’s beleaguered boss Jim Magilton effectively parked his tractor in front of goalkeeper Richard Wright.

Content to defend after conceding six goals in their previous two games, the visitors rarely threatened.

Ipswich’s unambitious approach contributed heavily to a first half devoid of incident until the 22nd minute when Dave Jones’ 25-yard free kick was tipped around the post by Wright.

Even after that, Wolves struggled to create anything worthwhile in open play and fans had to settle for another set-piece for the only other chance of the first period when Kyel Reid’s similar free-kick whistled inches wide of Wright’s left-hand post 16 minutes later.

Reid’s effort was so close that some fans in the South Bank thought it had gone in after the ball brushed the netting after hitting the stanchion holding up the net behind the goal.

Wolves’ improvement after the break owed much to the half-time arrival of Michael Kightly for Reid, after McCarthy sensibly kept him “benched” following the twinge in his hamstring that forced him off against Sheffield Wednesday three days earlier.

Nonetheless, we saw a determined effort to shake off Ipswich’s restricting shackles. After a scissors kick from the recalled Stephen Ward straight at the keeper and a Dave Edwards angled drive that went wide, McCarthy’s side went close three times within a matter of seconds in the 59th minute.

First, Kightly’s cross was volleyed off the line by Pim Balkestein.

From there, all hell broke loose as the ball found its way to the unmarked Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, whose curling effort was heading for the top corner before crashing off the bar.

Even then, you might have expected Kightly to finish things off, but the winger could only fire wide from the follow-up.

Ipswich’s attacking forays up to this point stood at nil, but they hit Wolves on the break when keeper Wayne Hennessey was forced to expertly smother Kevin Lisbie’s shot on the turn after he was presented with their best chance of the game after a mix-up between Matt Hill and Christophe Berra.

Berra, however, has improved every game and showed his attacking prowess as he cut inside before unleashing a left-foot drive that flew straight at Wright.

Ipswich started coming more into the game around this point and David Norris fired wide from the edge of the area.

But Wolves were the better side throughout and thought they had claimed a penalty in the 76th minute when fans claimed Kightly was manhandled by Ivan Campo.

If Ipswich had scored at all, it would have been desperately unlucky on Wolves, who dominated throughout. But that could almost have been the improbable scenario that they were confronted with four minutes from time.

Jody Craddock hooked the ball off the line from substitute Jon Stead after Wolves’ offside trap failed at a free-kick, despite the former McCarthy Sunderland signing looking offside.

Ipswich attacks were isolated but they provided a stern, competitive test.

Another test was the referee after he inexplicably brought play some 40 yards back as Ebanks-Blake controlled a pass on the edge of Ipswich’s area only to be halted in his tracks after Lancashire official Graham Salisbury brought play back to the halfway line for a mystery infringement instead of playing the advantage.

As the game limped into stoppage time, Ipswich captain Tommy Miller threatened to do what he did in this game last season – when he equalised in the 94th minute – with a deflected shot that flew over.

Wolves’ efforts in front of goal were finally brought to an end following Stephen Ward’s cross-shot that just flew wide with Wright in trouble.

For all their huffing and puffing, Wolves just couldn’t blow down Ipswich’s house as Town battled all the way for their precious point.

So, it’s as you were at the top of the Championship.

But the last week has been a vast improvement for Wolves.

And despite unconvincing home form – it wouldn’t be Wolves without some sort of glitch and this was their fourth game at Molineux without a win – they appear to be well over the worst.

It’s another step closer to the Promised Land.

By Tim Nash.