Danny Butterfield was the unlikeliest of heroes for Crystal Palace as his hat-trick saw off Wolves 3-1.
Palace midfielder stuns McCarthy's men with quick-fire treble
Danny Butterfield was the unlikeliest of heroes for Crystal Palace as his hat-trick saw off Wolves 3-1 in a lively FA Cup fourth round replay at Selhurst Park, with Karl Henry grabbing a late reply for the visitors.
The first half was full of endeavour from both sides, with tempers threatening to boil over on more than one occasion.
There was a distinct lack of goalscoring opportunities, though, with a Nick Carle strike which flashed past the post moments before the interval as close as either side came to forcing a breakthrough.
The game suddenly sprang to life after the break, with Palace booking a meeting with Aston Villa in round five courtesy of Butterfield's quick-fire treble.
His first came after 62 minutes when Wayne Hennessey could only parry a bullet header from Matt Lawrence and he was on hand to nod home from close range.
Three minutes later he put Palace in complete control as he was sent clear by Darren Ambrose and slid the ball into the back of the net with ease.
A remarkable hat-trick was then completed on 68 minutes when Alan Lee flicked into the box and Butterfield reacted first to poke through the legs of Hennessey.
Henry did pull one back for Wolves in stoppage-time, when he lashed high into the top corner, but it was too little, too late.
Administrators
Wolves boss Mick McCarthy may have had half an eye on this weekend's Premier League clash with Birmingham, as he made five changes to his starting line-up, but there were still plenty of regular top-flight performers on show.
However Palace, whose financial plight meant they could only name six substitutes - five of them teenagers - were the better side throughout and deserved winners and the administrators will certainly be delighted by the prospect of a Valentine's Day clash with UEFA Champions League hopefuls Villa.
Palace were six minutes from winning the first meeting between the two sides 10 days ago until Ronald Zubar's goal secured a 2-2 draw and they started confidently.
They almost opened the scoring in the 17th minute when Nathaniel Clyne, who 24 hours earlier had turned down a deadline-day move to Wolves, crossed from the right.
Top scorer Ambrose met the ball with a fierce volley and was inches away from his 15th goal of the season as his shot whistled over the crossbar.
Wolves did not manage a shot in anger in the opening half an hour, and when one finally did arrive it was not worth the wait.
Debutant Geoffrey Mujangi Bia played a one-two with Nenad Milijas on the corner of the Palace penalty area but his first-time swinger flew high and wide.
Neil Warnock was furious when Lee appeared to be caught by Jody Craddock's elbow as the duo went up for a header. Referee Lee Mason was forced to calm the Eagles boss down on the touchline while Lee, bleeding heavily, had to go off for treatment and re-emerged bandaged up.
Australian midfielder Carle came agonisingly close to opening the scoring when he fizzed an angled drive across goal and narrowly wide.
Unbelievable
Two minutes after the restart Ambrose tested Hennessey with a 25-yard free-kick which the Wolves keeper, diving to his right, dealt with comfortably.
McCarthy made a double switch on the hour, replacing Mujangi Bia and Sam Vokes with Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and Chris Iwelumo.
But two minutes later his side fell behind. Ambrose's corner was met by a firm header from Lawrence which Hennessey kept out, but Butterfield was on hand to nod the loose ball over the goal-line.
Three minutes later Butterfield doubled his side's lead. Lee headed an up-and-under to Ambrose, whose cushioned volley played in Butterfield and, with Wolves claiming offside, he calmly slid the ball past Hennessey.
The Selhurst Park crowd could barely believe their eyes, but Butterfield completed the unlikeliest of trebles in the 68th minute, latching onto another flick-on from Lee and finishing like a seasoned striker past Hennessey.
He sensed a fourth when Ambrose whipped in a cross from the right but Craddock was by now alert to the danger and managed to clear.
The former Grimsby defender was grinning from ear to ear when he was substituted with two minutes remaining to a standing ovation from the Palace faithful.
Henry crashed in a consolation from the edge of the box with a minute to go but there was no way back for the visitors, who can now concentrate on their top-flight survival bid.
