Alan Pardew refused to give up on Charlton's play-off hopes after a 3-2 home defeat to Wolves saw them drop to 11th in the Championship table.Pardew had seen his side equalise in injury time on for the visitors to snatch a dramatic, even later, winner.

Pardew said: "It's going to be hard to deal with this disappointment. Logically, my head tells me that it's going to be difficult for us to get in the play-offs now.

"But you can't give up anything in this division and while it's still mathematically possible we'll keep on giving it a go."

Sylvan Ebanks-Blake celebrated his 22nd birthday by firing Wolves ahead in the 15th minute, only for Greg Halford to equalise with a 31st-minute volley, his second goal in two games.

Ebanks-Blake showed a sublime piece of skill to turn Charlton defender Paddy McCarthy and slot Wolves 2-1 up nine minutes from time.

Leroy Lita looked to have salvaged a deserved point for Charlton when he made it 2-2 with an injury-time header from Sam Sodje's long ball into the box.

But captain Karl Henry ensured Wolves moved up to sixth in the table when he slid in Kevin Kyle's cross from six yards moments later.

Pardew added: "It's so difficult to take. They got a good goal in the first half and our crowd played a negative part for us. We were edgy and uncomfortable, but after half time we bossed the game and their keeper made two excellent saves to stop us taking the lead.

"The game summed up our season. We have been too inconsistent. If someone had offered me the draw, I would have taken it."

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy said: "You could see by our reaction on the bench how much it meant to us.

"I thought we played well enough to win, perhaps not in the manner in which we nicked it.

"But we were the better side in the first half and I thought we deserved to win."

Speaking about Ebanks-Blake, McCarthy added: "We have got a good player there. I've known about him ever since he was in Manchester United's reserves. I thought Plymouth did well to sign him and I'm pleased we managed to get him.

"But I thought the saves by Wayne Hennessey were hugely important. He's a good keeper."

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