When all hope seemed lost, a thoroughly uninspiring game of football was won in the most dramatic of fashions with an injury-time winner from Matt Doherty.

It was as welcome as it was unlikely.

There have, sadly, been many candidates for the most turgid and vacuous games of football at Molineux this season.

And, while the second half livened up a bit, this was right up there.

The Early Bird season ticket deadline is this week but in the first half Wolves did anything but put on a show to whet the appetites of their apathetic fanbase, who booed them off at half time.

But somehow, with practically the last action of the game, Doherty dragged them over the line when he headed home Jeremy Helan's free kick.

Moments of drama and inspiration have been in short supply at Molineux of late, but this was one to savour.

And whenever Wolves are in need of a win in future they should call Bristol City. After all, it's 85 years since they last won in Wolverhampton.

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Doherty, who earlier set up Nathan Byrne's opener, was undoubtedly man of the match, while Michal Zyro gets a mention for a very positive impact as a half time substitute.

With youngsters Bright Enobakhare and Connor Hunte, on for his debut, on the pitch at the end the average age of the outfield team was just 21.7 years old.

And while the football served up was far from vintage, at the very least these Wolves pups showed heart, spirit and battling qualities - as well as hope for the future.

Jackett made two changes from the team that lost 2-1 at Middlesbrough, with Mason and Kortney Hause replaced the injured duo of Ethan Ebanks-Landell and Bjorn Sigurdarson.

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And there was a familiar face in the Bristol City line up with Scott Golbourne, who left Molineux in January, lining up for the Robins and receiving a good ovation from the home supporters.

With Wolves having little to play for one may have expected a carefree, attacking home performance.

However what followed was one of the most vacuous, bland and insipid halves of football witnessed at Molineux in many a year.

In front of a sparse and silent crowd, neither team displayed much approaching quality in a half of desperately little entertainment.

It took 10 minutes for the game's first attack, from which Jeremy Helan sent a 20-yard free kick over the bar.

George Saville, free on the edge of the area, then curled a shot which Richard O'Donnell spilled, but Mason couldn't collect the rebound in a busy minute that belied the following 35 up to half time.

The visitors played marginally the better football of the two sides but lacked a cutting edge.

Bouremouth loanee Lee Tomlin drove goalwards from the left of the area - Carl Ikeme saved and Hause had to be alive to clear in his own six-yard box.

Marlon Pack fired a long-ranger off target and Conor Coady sent a looping header safely into O'Donnell's arms in what could only be termed as half chances.

And then just before the whistle put everyone out of their misery, dangerman Jonathan Kodjia slipped in behind the Wolves defence and prodded across goal and wide.

The home fans made their feelings known at half time, booing Kenny Jackett's team off the field and chanting "boring".

It was a fully deserved reaction for a soulless performance, the opposite of what Jackett had called for from his team in the build-up to the game.

However, whatever the under-fire head coach said at half time, worked a treat.

Jackett sent on Zyro at half time, replacing Kevin McDonald in a switch to 4-4-2 - and to everyone's surprise within two minutes of the restart Wolves were in front.

Doherty, so impressive in recent weeks, made it to the byline and played across goal where Byrne fell over as he somehow got the ball over the line.

It was about as aesthetically pleasing as a unmade Tracey Emin bed first thing in the morning, but Wolves cared not.

And they continued in the same vain at the start of the half.

Golbourne seemed to think he was still a Wolves player when he turned a cross inches past his own post as Wolves threatened a second.

Zyro, playing up front with Mason, with Helan and Byrne on the flanks, was making a positive impact and his left-wing cross went through Mason who was well placed.

Back came the Robins - Danny Batth got in a superb goal-saving tackle as Kodjia lined up a shot in the six yard box.

Visiting manager Lee Johnson made three changes in three minutes in an attempt to get back in the game, with former Wolves full back Mark Little one of those to enter the fray.

Doherty, in the form of his Wolves career of late, broke from defence and played to Zyro with the outside of his boot - the Pole showed good strength to hold off his man and fired into the side netting from 15 yards.

But the Robins continued to persist - and they were rewarded with an equaliser 13 minutes from time.

Joe Bryan sent over an excellent cross to the back post where Iorfa and Aden Flint slid in, with the ball rolling past Ikeme. It wasn't immediately clear who got the final touch but Flint celebrated like it was him who poked home.

Jackett reacted by sending on teenage winger Connor Hunte, formerly of Chelsea, for his Wolves bow.

And the winger made an immediate impact, cutting in from the right, playing a one-two with Zyro and firing a deflected shot wide.

On came another youngster, Bright Enobakhare, in the dying minutes as Jackett turned to the vibrancy of youth to engineer a dramatic victory.

And so it happened, with Doherty rising highest to head home Helan's free kick for the most unexpected of winners.

Wolves (4-3-3): Ikeme; Iorfa, Batth (c), Hause, Doherty; Coady, McDonald (Zyro, 45), Saville; Byrne (Hunte, 82), Mason (Enobakhare, 85), Helan. Subs: Martinez, Deslandes, Rowe, Price.

Goals: Byrne (47), Doherty (90)

Bristol City: O'Donnell, Matthews (Little, 69), Flint, Baker, Golbourne; Wagstaff (Agard, 66), Pack (c), Bryan, Freeman; Kodjia (Wilbraham, 66), Tomlin. Subs: Fielding, Williams, Pearce, Reid.

Goals: Flint (77)

Attendance: 17,459

Referee: Scott Duncan (Northumberland)