JOSHUA King scored and missed a penalty as Cherries drew 1-1 with Wolves – a game in which referee Roger East took centre stage.

King fired home from the spot in the 14th minute after East ruled he had been brought down by Joao Moutinho.

Raul Jimenez had already had a goal disallowed and Chris Mepham – on his full top-flight debut – survived handball appeals shortly after King struck.

Wolves had plenty of possession but struggled to break down their hosts and Jordon Ibe nearly extended the lead when he rattled the crossbar in the second period.

But Wolves were given a penalty when Adam Smith was judged to have fouled Matt Doherty and Raul Jimenez calmly converted.

King was given a golden chance to restore the lead from the spot when Ryan Fraser was felled by substitute Ivan Cavaleiro – outside the box – but his attempt clipped the outside of the right post.

Cherries boss Eddie Howe made three changes to the side which had lost at Liverpool, Mepham coming in for his full Premier League debut at centre-half in place of groin injury victim Steve Cook.

It was the first time Cook had failed to start a Premier League game in 14 months.

Nathaniel Clyne was available again and assumed the right-back berth in his 350th professional appearance in all competitions, with Smith shifting to the left at the expense of Diego Rico.

Striker Dominic Solanke replaced Andrew Surman while Junior Stanislas, who had been struggling with a hip flexor issue, did not make the squad.

Dan Gosling captained the side in the league for the first time.

Wolves forced a succession of early corners but it was Cherries who had the first chance when Solanke headed well wide from Joshua King’s cross in the eighth minute.

Jimenez had the ball in the net soon after but whistler East had already spotted a foul on Mepham by Diogo Jota.

And East assumed the spotlight in the 13th minute when he awarded a penalty after deeming that King had been clipped by Moutinho.

King got to his feet and stroked emphatically into the right corner, Rui Patricio beaten despite diving the correct way.

Wolves were furious when East refused to award a second spot-kick after Mepham had headed the ball on to his arm and behind, only a corner given instead. Jota was booked for his protests.

The visitors were dictating play without testing Cherries keeper Artur Boruc and it took until seven minutes before half-time until they truly threatened again.

Jota broke free from the clutches of Mepham but his cross-shot was wide of the right post and there was too much heat on it for Jimenez, who was desperately sliding in.

Eight minutes after the restart, Boruc was finally called upon, the Pole palming over Leander Dendoncker’s header following Moutinho’s corner.

From the resultant corner, centre-back Willy Boly diverted just over at the near post.

Solanke nodded wide and then had an even better chance to open his Cherries account.

Patricio’s poor clearance was headed down by Fraser and Gosling’s exquisite touch found Solanke in space. But Patricio got enough behind the striker’s low shot and Ryan Bennett cleared.

Jefferson Lerma earned his 10th caution of the season – and therefore a two-game ban – when he caught Moutinho on the jaw with his arm midway through the second period.

And Ibe came within a whisker of his first league goal in nearly a year when he cut inside Conor Coady and crashed spectacularly against the woodwork.

However, Wolves levelled with seven minutes left. Doherty got a shot off but was judged to have been fouled by Smith in the process and Jimenez coolly sent Boruc the wrong way.

East then ruled – incorrectly – that Fraser had been fouled in the area by Cavaleiro but King skimmed the upright with his effort from the spot.

In a bizarre finale, the sprinkler system was deployed with Boruc ready to take a free-kick. Moments later, East called a halt to proceedings.

MATCH STATS

Cherries (4-4-1-1): Boruc; Clyne, Mepham, Ake, Smith; Ibe, Gosling, Lerma, Fraser; King; Solanke (Mousset, 90+1).

Unused subs: Daniels, Rico, Simpson, Surman, Surridge, Begovic (g/k).

Booked: Smith, Lerma, Gosling, Boruc.

Wolves (3-4-1-2): Patricio; Bennett, Coady, Boly; Doherty, Dendoncker (Traore, 77), Neves, Jonny; Moutinho; Jota (Cavaleiro, 66), Jimenez (Saiss, 88).

Unused subs: Costa, Gibbs-White, Vinagre, Ruddy (g/k).

Booked: Jota, Dendoncker, Bennett, Jimenez, Neves.

Referee: Roger East (Wiltshire).

Attendance: 10,671.