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ARSENAL missed the chance to move up to third in the Premier League after failing to kill off 10-man Wolves in a spirited seasonal encounter. A goal after eight minutes from Gervinho had appeared to set the Gunners on their way to a comfortable home victory. But a Steven Fletcher equaliser on 38 minutes followed by a man of the match performance from keeper Wayne Hennessey saw the visitors claim a well-earned point. Even losing Nenad Milijas with 15 minutes to go couldn't dent Wolves' resistance. Mick McCarthy's men began brightly but simply stung the Gunners into action. Johan Djourou had recovered from a groin injury to make Arsenal's starting line-up, but was soon stretched by Matt Jarvis. The Wolves winger sprinted clear in the opening minutes, forcing Per Mertesacker to gallop over and make the block. Shortly after the ball was sweeping across the Arsenal penalty area, but following a swift break the home side took the lead. Tomas Rosicky and Yossi Benayoun � who had scored the winner at Aston Villa before Christmas � had starting berths in midfield and the two combined to create the opening goal. Benayoun collected the ball from Rosicky before releasing Gervinho with an eye of the needle pass through the defence. Wolves keeper Hennessey was left wrong-footed as the Ivory Coast striker sold him a dummy before slotting the ball past two covering defenders to put Arsenal one up. The floodgates threatened to open. Gervinho raced clear again and teed up Robin van Persie on the right of the Wolves penalty area. The Dutch hotshot was for once wasteful, hitting his effort well wide of the goal. Benayoun was enjoying his rare start and gambolled down the left but got over excited in the penalty area, tripping over the ball once he'd arrived. Van Persie then attempted a chip which Stephen Ward had to head clear over his own crossbar. Ward was called into action again soon after, blocking an angled drive from Mikel Arteta. The chances were coming thick and fast, Van Persie firing in a low drive which Hennessey flicked around the post. It seemed inevitable that there would be a second goal in the game and after 38 minutes there was � but it came from the under-fire visitors. Arsenal failed to clear a corner, allowing Stephen Hunt to lift the ball back into the danger zone. The ball took a deflection but only to unmarked Fletcher who steered his header into the far corner for 1-1. It was Wolves' first goal at Arsenal in the Premier League era and Fletcher's seventh of the season. The second half picked up the frantic pace. Gervinho was posing more of a threat down the left side but Arsenal still seemed incapable of finding a telling pass near the Wolves goal. The Gunners had a large penalty shout on 57 minutes when Laurent Koscielny's cross struck Christophe Berra on the arm, but all that Arsenal were awarded was a yellow card to Vermaelen for protesting too much. Gervinho broke into the Wolves area again but his pass was hacked clear and with 25 minutes remaining Benayoun made way for Andrei Arshavin. Karl Henry bundled over Gervinho to concede a free kick which Van Persie clipped towards the far corner. Hennessey flung himself at full stretch across the goal to make the save. Mertesacker was then frustrated by the agile keeper as his close-range was scrambled clear. Arsenal appeared to get a break when Milijas saw red on 75 minutes for a studs-up challenge on Arteta. It looked harsh and Wolves looked vulnerable. Van Persie was soon in action again, his shot on the turn being deflected behind, while sub Arshavin also clipped the outside of the post. The tempo was now fast and furious with all the action taking place at the Wolves end, Van Persie forcing Hennessey into yet another save, this time from a free kick. With five minutes remaining, Arsene Wenger threw on another forward, Marouane Chamakh, in place of Djourou as Arsenal chased that elusive winner. Next it was Vermaelen's turn to be thwarted by Hennessey, whose heart must have skipped a beat when it was announced there would be six minutes of stoppage time. But despite Arsenal's frantic assaults on goal the 10 men stood firm. ARSENAL: Szczesny, Djourou (Chamakh 85min), Mertesacker, Koscielny, Vermaelen, Song (Ramsey 71), Arteta, Rosicky, Benayoun (Arshavin 63), Gervinho, Van Persie. Booked: Vermaelen, Song. Goal: Gervinho 8min. WOLVES: Hennessey, Zubar (Stearman 50min), Johnson, Berra, Ward, Jarvis, Henry, Forde (Guedioura 71), Hunt (Doyle 86),Milijas, Fletcher. Sent Off: Milijas (75). Booked: Johnson,Guedioura,Hennessey. Goal: Fletcher 38min. Attendance: 59,686 REF: Stuart Attwell (Warwickshire).