Wolves’ smiles were wider than Villa’s at the end.

It wasn’t surprising really, as their performance carried more cheer out of the two sides.

A sobering thought for Wolves is that relief at a home point against their claret and blue neighbours is a barometer to the way these two clubs are heading at the moment. But it’s a source of comfort that the same 11 players who faced them beat leaders Chelsea 2-1 a week earlier.

For Mick McCarthy’s side, it was another point towards safety, and a second successive fully-deserved draw against a top-six team isn’t to be sniffed at.

For Villa, a point at Wolves is probably less than they were seeking given their Champions League aspirations, but the most they deserved.

If Villa’s oxygen is their set-pieces, then Wolves attempted to suffocate them as they conceded just three corners all game, while forcing nine of their own.

But full credit to Wolves, for while they may not carry Villa’s quality, they had the appetite to ensure their opponents’ attacking ferocity never erupted.

For that, we salute the first derby day hero of the season. No, not Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, though his rocket-powered penalty equaliser and the subsequent ecstatic reaction will live in the memory. No, step forward Karl Henry.

Just over three years ago, the Wednesfield-bred midfielder arrived at his hometown club, boots under his arm for what was for him a trial match as he pondered his future after turning down a contract extension at Stoke.

The opponents that day were Villa and, from thinking he was going to get 45 minutes to win a chance of new employment, injury to Mark Davies saw Henry thrust against Gareth Barry and Co for 70-odd minutes.

He didn’t disappoint, impressing boss Mick McCarthy enough to win a deal at Molineux, and one of the most astute pieces of business the manager has done was completed with a £100,000 cheque dispatched to the Potteries club.

In fact, from a game marking the 20-year association of Steve Bull with Wolves, Henry made his own mark and has been carrying on doing so ever since.

Sometimes, it’s been on his opponent’s shins, but on Saturday the reputation of a player fast emerging as one of Wolves’ Premier League stalwarts added another layer of gloss.

It wasn’t just his tackling or harrying – although as John Carew and others will testify, you can’t afford to dwell on the ball for long when Henry is around – but his overall quality as he and Segundo Castillo won the midfield battle over Stiliyan Petrov and Steve Sidwell.

That perfect sliding challenge on Carew is one of the reasons Wolves look like staying in the Premier League.

When Wolves learn to take advantage of their neat build-up play, and/or finally get more justice from the officials, they will become an even more potent force.

At least referees are starting to realise they are allowed to award Wolves penalties, although it took two incidents for Peter Walton to point to the spot on Saturday after his colleagues missed or ignored strong claims against Wigan, Sunderland and Portsmouth in previous games this season.

Richard Dunne’s third minute manhandling of Kevin Doyle looked as if it should warrant a spot kick, but Wolves have already become accustomed to such decisions going against them in the Premier League, and so it proved again.

Villa looked to have had a claim themselves for Christophe Berra’s block on Carew as the big Norwegian attempted to turn him in the 23rd minute, but like the striker’s performance, there was little fuss made. Instead, Wolves were the dominant force of a stodgy first half played in driving rain.

It could have been so different had Gabriel Agbonlahor not scuffed a wonderful chance by firing straight at keeper Wayne Hennessey with just 40 seconds on the clock.

Recalling last season’s high octane surges from the first whistle, Wolves looked to get forwards at every opportunity, and Villa had little option but to defend.

But whereas Championship defences may have buckled under the pressure, Dunne and James Collins are made of sterner stuff.

Still, Wolves pressed and Berra headed wide from Henry’s cross while James Milner cleared off the line after Michael Kightly’s corner hit the back of Doyle’s head, before Ebanks-Blake was twice off target prior the break with an overhead kick and a header.

If Wolves were the better side in the first half, Villa improved to show more after the interval, although the game died as a spectacle before being revived by the late drama the goals brought. Ashley Young, who was a peripheral figure as he has been for much of Villa’s season, attempted to lift the gloom with an effort that curled a foot wide.

But if Young was rueing his luck, poor Sidwell certainly won’t have Molineux on his list of lucky grounds.

First his goalbound shot hit Dunne on the back with Hennessey committed, then he was the guilty party to concede the penalty Ebanks-Blake gleefully converted for his sliding challenge on Kightly.

Ebanks-Blake’s first spot-kick since his March 3 winner at Crystal Palace – and Wolves’ first since David Jones converted in the 3-0 success against Southampton on Good Friday – was rich reward for their endeavours.

It cancelled out Agbonlahor’s opener four minutes after the England international punished Jody Craddock’s one momentary lapse by turning him to prod home Emile Heskey’s cross.

Wolves continue to grow into this Premier League lark and, although they failed to win, this wouldn’t have been marked down as a home banker by McCarthy and his staff anyway.

In keeping Matt Jarvis harnessed on the bench, McCarthy shied from going toe-to-toe with Villa and their two out and out wingers.

But his continued selection of Dave Edwards as a ‘narrow’ wide man proved an astute gamble as Wolves’ extra presence in central midfield allowed them to dominate that area of the pitch and, in turn, starved dangermen Milner and Young of the ball. In the end, a draw was a fair result.

Villa’s quality will see them finish much higher in the table, but with a matchday squad costing roughly four times Wolves’, that’s the least of their worries. While their bigger budget will see them close in on their goal, Wolves’ qualities look like seeing them achieve theirs – survival.

By Tim Nash