Premiership Season 2009-10      Aug 2009 Sept 2009 Oct 2009  Nov 2009 Dec 2009  Jan 2010 Feb 2010 Mar 2010 Apr 2010 May 2010 pre-season   Copyright © and Database Right The FA Premier League/The Scottish Premier League/The Football League/The Scottish Football League Limited 2007. All rights reserved. No part of the Fixtures Lists may be reproduced stored or transmitted in any form without the prior written permission of Football DataCo Limited.   Reproduced under licence from Football DataCo Limited. All rights reserved. Licence no. FDCFAN11/12-118101    WOLVES FIXTURES BARCLAYS PREMIERSHIP 2009-2010 April & May 2010 K.O. TV HOME Score   FIXTURE PREM/ FAC Cum Points Avge Posn                 32 1.0 14 Saturday, 03 April 2010 15:00   Arsenal 1 0 Wolves Prem 32 1.0 14 Sunday, 11 April 2010 12:00   Wolves 0 0 Stoke Prem 33 1.0 14 Saturday, 17 April 2010 15:00   Fulham 0 0 Wolves Prem 34 1.0 16 Saturday, 24 April 2010 15:00   Wolves 1 1 Blackburn Prem 35 1.0 15 Saturday, 01 May 2010 15:00   Portsmouth 3 1 Wolves Prem 35 1.0 15 Sunday, 09 May 2010 16:00   Wolves 2 1 Sunderland Prem 38 1.0 15 Saturday 15 May 2010 15:00 Sky FAC Final         - - - FIXTURES -  London Wolves Meet the Players was Friday April 16th here Sunday 9th May Wolves Sunderland  KO 4pm Wolves 2 (Doyle-pen 10, Guedioura 78) Sunderland 1 (K. Jones 8) worst ref ever. Even if he gave a pen and two reds. Wolves ended their season in style with a win that secured 15th place in the Premier League after they had come from behind to beat a Sunderland side that finished the game with nine men. Mick McCarthy made three changes from the side that had lost at Portsmouth with Matt Jarvis, Adlene Guedioura and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake coming in for Geoffrey Mujangi Bia, Michael Mancienne and Kevin Foley Sunderland kicked-off and they could have been ahead after just a minute when Darren Bent was allowed the space in the home area to rifle in a shot that had Marcus Hahnemann at full stretch as he turned the ball aside. There was a half chance for Ebanks-Blake on seven minutes when he chested down a cross from Kevin Doyle but Sunderland keeper Craig Gordon held on to the ball before the Wolves striker could prosper. Play went straight to the other end and the visitors took the lead thanks to a fortuitous strike from Kenwyne Jones whose effort from the edge of the box deflected off Jody Craddock and into the net via the inside of the post. It took Wanderers just two minutes to pull level. Matt Jarvis sped into the box and was about to cross from the by-line when he was upended by Alan Hutton. Kevin Doyle scores to equalise Gordon guessed correctly as he dived to his left but Doyle's spot kick was perfectly placed . Dave Jones was narrowly wide with a 25-yard free-kick after Michael Turner had fouled Doyle, before a spectacular effort from Steed Malbranque almost restored Sunderland's lead. The midfielder's superbly executed scissors kick from 15-yards out hit the outside of the post before going behind. Hahnemann and Dave Jones, who had lost possession just before the incident, then exchanged a few words on the edge of the home area. Sunderland had another good opportunity in the 18th minute when Malbranque pulled the ball back into Jordan Henderson's path but he screwed his shot well wide. Jarvis was somewhat harshly booked for a challenge on Frazier Campbell and referee Lee Mason was on the wrong end of the crowd's anger when he only spoke to Kieran Richardson following a heavy tackle on Guedioura shortly afterwards. Gordon was quickly out to block after Jarvis homed in on Ebanks-Blake's through ball, then Doyle clipped the ball over the keeper but wide of the far post after he had connected with a long through ball. Karl Henry was penalised for a late challenge on Malbranque who then lay in apparent agony refusing an apologetic gesture from the Wolves skipper who wasn't booked following the incident. Malbranque then got quickly to his feet and resumed without treatment. The incident started a heated touchline row between Wolves boss McCarthy and Black Cats number two Eric Black. Jarvis wasn't far away with a low drive from 25-yards and then Turner was shown the yellow card after felling Doyle. Half-Time: Wolves 1 Sunderland 1 The visitors made a switch for the new half with Bolo Zenden replaced Henderson. Five minutes after the resumption the Sunderland defence had to deal with a long throw and then a dangerous centre from George Elokobi. Guedioura collected a cross from Henry but completely missed the ball as he tried a shot on turn, and then Malbranque shot straight at Hahnemann and Kenwyne Jones headed over when Sunderland threatened. Wolves then made another change when Dave Edwards went on for Dave Jones. Kenwyne Jones almost headed into his own net in attempting to clear a long throw from Elokobi - Gordon just managing to fingertip the ball over the bar. From Jarvis's corner Craddock's header bounced off Ebanks-Blake and looped into the arms of the Scottish keeper. Doyle ran half the length of the pitch into the Sunderland box but he was challenged just as he prepared to shoot. The Black Cats then made two further changes with Benjani and Jack Colbeck coming on for Lorik Cana and Malbranque. What turned out to be the winning goal arrived in the 78th minute. Ronald Zubar intercepted a crossfield pass and raced down the right flank before squaring a pass to Guedioura who advanced to the edge of the area before hitting a low shot past Gordon. Doyle got a tremendous ovation when he was replaced by Chris Iwelumo and then Sunderland were reduced to ten men after Turner was dismissed for a second bookable offence after he had fouled Jarvis. Jarvis slipped a short pass through to Christophe Berra who ran into the left of the Sunderland box and crossed for Iwelumo who headed over at the back post. Colbeck went into the book for a foul on Zubar before Kevin Foley came on for the last few minutes when he came on for Jarvis who was applauded from the field. Iwelumo and Kenwyne Jones were shoulder to shoulder as they ran into the Sunderland box and although the Wolves man managed to get in a shot, it sailed high over the bar. In stoppage time Berra was unlucky not to open his goal account for Wolves with a header from Elokobi's cross that drew a tremendous reflex save from Gordon. Sunderland had been distinctly second best in the second-half and their misery was complete deep into stoppage time when Colbeck again clattered into Zubar and was again shown the yellow card quickly followed by the red for two bookables. Wolves: Hahnemann, Zubar, Elokobi, Henry (capt), Craddock, Berra, Guedioura, Ebanks-Blake, Doyle (Iwelumo 79), D. Jones (Edwards 61), Jarvis (Foley 85). Unused subs: Stearman, Milijaš, Mancienne, Ikeme. Booking: Jarvis (22 - foul). Sunderland: Gordon, Turner, Hutton, Malbranque (Colbeck 77), Campbell, Richardson, Bent, Henderson (Zenden 45), K. Jones, Cana (capt) (Benjani 74), Kilgallon. Unused subs: Carson, Bardsley, Da Silva, Ferdinand. Bookings: Turner (41 - persistent fouling), Colbeck (84 - foul). Sendings-Off: Turner (82 - foul - second bookable offence), Colbeck (90 - foul - second bookable offence). Referee: L. Mason. Attendance: 28,971. Boss Mick McCarthy admitted it was great to finish on a high as Wolves beat Sunderland at Molineux to secure 38 points and 15th place in the Barclays Premier League. A Kevin Doyle penalty cancelled out Kenwyne Jones's deflected opener before Adlene Guedioura, on the day it was confirmed he will sign a permanent contract, struck a clinical winner 12 minutes from time. With Wigan going down 8-0 at Chelsea, victory lifted Wolves to 15th in the table and ensured they finished eight points clear of the relegation zone. "It's nice to finish the season off with a win," said Mick. "And to finish with the points we have got and the position we are in is very pleasing. As I said on the pitch after the game I'm delighted with how the players have gone about their business and I'm very proud of them. It's a great achievement for us. It was lovely to finish on a high. If you lose on the last day even if you've had a good season you go away thinking about it. The fans want to see us win and they've seen that today. They can go away with a nice taste in their mouth for next season and not coming back with any negative thoughts. There was certainly some added spice to today's game which was far from an end-of-season kickabout, with Sunderland pair Michael Turner and Jack Colbeck both seeing red for two yellow cards. On another occasion Marcus Hahnemann and David Jones got involved in a verbal set-to, while there was also something similar between Mick and Sunderland assistant manager Eric Black. There's nothing wrong with that at all, said Mick. I thought it was a good game, competitive and certainly not an end-of-season bore. I'm competitive and so are the Sunderland lads and we've just had a beer after the game and there are no problems at all. Attention now turns to Wolves trying to strengthen for successive seasons in the top flight for the first time in almost 30 years. It's a process which has already begun behind the scenes, and one the boss is keen to pursue. We will try and improve the squad in the close season and I've no doubt we will, he said. We want to get better. We all move on and I will move on at some time and the players will too. But the club will always stay the same. I think the fans can be hugely proud of this team this year because I am - against the odds we've stayed up. It looks like it's comfortable now but it never was, it's been anything but comfortable! I'll always expect more but at the same time I'll have to be pragmatic as I always have been throughout my career both as a player and manager. I think you'll find most people are delighted with what we've done today. When asked how the achievement compares to previous in his managerial career, and indeed how it rated regarding his previous top flight campaign with Sunderland, Mick remained philosophical! The most recent one is always the best, he said. And I didn't get to the final day of the season at Sunderland. My daughter's boyfriend was asking when there were a few murmurs here earlier in the season what would happen to me if it got a bit shaky. She told him I went to Barbados last time so I wouldn't worry about him too much if I were you! It doesn't bother me all that - I'm at Wolves and we've just beaten Sunderland so I'm happy! 0: A few minutes remaining before kick off. And the first look at Wolves new home kit being worn for the first time today. 0: The kit is now being shown - in extra special giant version - on the centre circle. And here it is modelled by Adlene Guedioura. 0: Another pre-match presentation as well, to Jody Craddock, having made his 500th league appearance earlier in the season. Mick McCarthy makes the presentation of a framed photograph montage showing Jody through the years! 0: Huddle over and we're off and running. 1: "Super Mick McCarthy" is the loud early shout from the South Bank. Still much to play for today with Wolves going for 14th and Sunderland 10th. 2: Sunderland with the first chance. Bent breaks clear on the inside right and fires in a half volley which Hahnemann saves well. 4: Wolves first half chace with Jones trying an ambitious effort from distance. High and wide. 5: Campbell breaks for a lively looking Sunderland team but his cross is put behind by Berra for a corner. Wolves clear the danger but the visitors keep up the pressure and Berra deflects a Jones cross back to Hahnemann. 7: Good work from Wolves. Doyle down the right and a chipped ball which Ebanks-Blake controls and stabs goalwards but saved by Gordon. 8: GOAL JONES 0-1. Sunderland go in front in fortunate circumstances. Jones has space but his shot loops up off the unfortunate Craddock and into the net via the inside of the post. 9: PENALTY TO WOLVES. Chance of an immediate response. Jarvis does Hutton for pace and the full back brings him down. Clear cut. Doyle to step up. 10: GOAL: DOYLE 1-1. No mistake from the record signing. Coolly despatched into the bottom right corner and while Gordon got a touch it carried too much power. Nine for the season now for Doyle. 11: Free kick for Wolves now after Turner impedes Doyle going for a challenge. Ball rolled to Guedioura but his shot from distance is wide. 13: Sunderland mighty close. Hutton cross and Malbranque meets with an acrobatic volley which smacks against the post and wide. Hahnemann not happy with the lack of marking and has a set-to with Jones on the subject. 16: Wolves win a free kick in midfield and Jones sends it in towards goal. Zubar has made a run but just can't get any contact and Gordon takes cleanly. 18: Malbranque weaving his magic down the left and feeds Henderson who from a good central position in front of goal shoots wide. 22: Elokobi to the byline for Wolves but his decent pullback is blocked by Turner. 22: First booking of the game and it's Jarvis for a foul on Campbell. Harsh decision. Jarvis didn't get the ball but not worthy of a yellow. 24: So where's the consistency here. Richardson in late on Guedioura and just a talking-to from referee Mason. 26: So close for Wolves. Excellent through ball by Ebanks-Blake and Jarvis's effort is blocked well by Gordon. 28: Hint of controversy as Bent tries to go around Hahnemann and takes a tumble. Not sure if there was any contact. But neither a foul nor a dive according to referee Mason. Goal kick to Wolves. 31: Doyle almost in latching onto a poor back header and just getting in front of Gordon but only able to flick the ball wide of the far post. 32: Few tasty challenges flying in with Richardson tight on Guedioura. The midfielder brealks away but another tackle comes in. Then Henry in late on Malbranque and penalised. No happy end-of-season affair here. And then a few verbals between McCarthy and Sunderland number two Eric Black on the touchline. Don't think you'd win that one Eric. 36: Calm seems to have been restored and Jarvis advances from central midfield before delivering a low shot wide of the target. 41: Turner booked for clattering into the back of Doyle as they went up for a header. 42: Guedioura is having a good first half down the right and wins a corner thanks to some more clever play. But the corner from Jones comes to nothing. 44: Oh dear. The standard of officiating continues to prove very poor this season. Linesman awards Wolves a free kick, referee says it's the other way, linesman then changes his mind. All the delay causes a bit of ructions between Zubar and Malbranque. All farcical and highly unnecessary and the result of indecisive officiating. 45: Two minutes of added time to follow. 45+2: Sunderland string a few passes together and Jones finds Campbell but his shot is over. HALF TIME: WOLVES 1-1 SUNDERLAND 46: Zenden on for Henderson for Sunderland. Back underway. 47: Cross comes in from the left and Jones climbs well but only produces a looping header which Hahnemann gathers comfortably. 52: Good chance for Wolves. Ebanks-Blake and Doyle combine to find Henry whose cross is chested down by Guedioura in front of a Sunderland defender. In a decent position on the left hand side Guedioura fails to get his left foot shot in as his right foot touches the ball first instead. 53: Sunderland on the attack but Malbranque's shot straight at Hahnemann. 54: Richardson sends in a deep cross which Jones gets his head to from an angle but it loops onto the roof of the net. 55: And now a Sunderland clearance into the upper tier of the Steve Bull Stand is expertly caught by a spectator. Good work! And enjoyed by former Prime Minister John Major, a guest at Molineux today. His reaction is caught on the TV monitors. 56: More poor officiating as Jarvis does well to dispossesses Hutton and comfortably keep the ball in play. But the assistant says not. The same assistant who couldn't make his mind up earlier. 57: Superb Craddock tackle on Jones as he threatens to burst into the penalty area. Sunderland fans screaming for a penalty. Not a chance. 58: Free kick to Sunderland 30 yards out but Bent's effort is well over. 60: Free kick to Wolves now after Ebanks-Blake fouled by Cana. Touched to Jones but his attempted cross is blocked. 61: Change for Wolves with Edwards on for Jones. Good ovation for the departing Jones who has had a major part to play in Wolves' second half of the campaign. 62: Close for Wolves. Long throw from Elokobi is headed towards his own goal by Jones prompting Gordon to tip over. 62: Deep Jarvis corner headed powerfully goalwards by Craddock but bounces off Ebanks-Blake and loops up for Gordon to make the catch. Ronald Zubar 63: Turner appears to have been cut for Sunderland and receives some stitches pitchside. 63: Jarvis gets the motor running down the left but his attempted cross is blocked by Jones who is currently operating at centre half in the absence of Turner. 65: Turner now back on for Sunderland allowing Jones to move back up front. 66: Great work from Hahnemann to come out quickly as Bent is put through and effectively produce a defender's sliding challenge to put the ball out for a throw-in. Quickly comes to take a resulting cross as well. 67: Another dubious decision from referee Mason who didn't have the best of games in this fixture at the Stadium of Light. Edwards appears to be tripped by Cana as he's trying to get on the end of a through ball. No other reason for him to go down. The referee doesn't seem to know what to do for a couple of seconds before waving play-on. 69: Almost a problem for Gordon as he delays a clearance and it's blocked by Ebanks-Blake. But it falls nicely for the Sunderland keeper and the danger is over. 72: Guedioura struggling as a Sunderland tackle ends up with a stamp on his foot. 73: Change for Wolves with Benjani on for Cana. 74: Doyle almost on the end of Berra's flick-on but Gordon out to gather. 76: Wolves playing some good stuff now and a neat link-up between Henry, Doyle and Guedioura almost creates something. Elokobi then fires wide having got forward to join in. 77: Switch for Sunderland with Colbeck on for Malbranque. 78: GOAL: GUEDIOURA 2-1 Guedioura finishes off some excellent work from Zubar to put Wolves in front. 90+1: Colbeck, already booked, is sent off for a second bookable offence. FULL TIME: WOLVES 2-1 SUNDERLAND Possession (%) 51 49 Shots on target 7 5 Shots off target 7 6 Corners 4 1 Fouls 11 17 Henry Most fouls Turner 2 4 Yellow cards 1 2 Red cards 0 2     Sat 1st May Portsmouth Wolves  KO 3pm Portsmouth 3 (Dindane 20, Utaka 39, Brown 67) Wolves 1 (Doyle 35) How many chances can we make and spurn. England GK David James was greeted as "there's only one Tina Turner" followed up with "Tina for England". George had a torrid time at left back; Geoffrey Mujanji Bia had one or two brilliant flashes while Sylvan and Kevin Foley missed sitters, while "Tina" denied Doyler several times with great saves. Our standard of crosses and free kicks was again poor. Mick said he could forgive them for being off the boil. It was a performance that will probably cost the club £1.5m in lost league places. Fortunately the fans were in party mood as well, wih many in fancy dress armed with beach balls and other inflatables. Defensive lapses, a catalogue of missed chances and an inspired display from England keeper David James proved costly to Wolves as they slipped to a 3-1 defeat against relegated Portsmouth. Mick McCarthy made two changes to the side that had drawn with Blackburn with Karl Henry returning from suspension in place of Dave Edwards who was named as a substitute, and Geoffrey Mujangi Bia came in for the injured Matt Jarvis. Pompey kicked-off attacking the away end of Fratton Park that housed a sell-out 2,400 visiting support. There was little of note in a quiet opening although Ronald Zubar had to head clear a dangerous cross from Aruna Dindane. Mujangi Bia was unlucky with a powerful shot from the edge of the box that hit Anthony Vanden Borre and looped into the grateful arms of James. A foul by Aaron Mokoena some 25-yards out from goal almost led to Wolves taking the lead. Henry touched the ball to Dave Jones who hit a terrific shot that drew a full length diving save from James. The corner conceded came to nothing. On 20 minutes, from Jones's corner, Kevin Doyle headed the ball on across goal and Jody Craddock just failed to get a touch at the far post. Seconds later Pompey took the lead. Michael Brown lifted a free-kick into the Wolves box and Dindane was allowed the time and space to head past Marcus Hahnemann. Just two minutes later Hahnemann did well to keep out a volley from John Utaka as the south coast side went in search of a second. Wolves were close once again in the 29th minute after Mokoena had fouled Mujangi Bia just outside the left-hand side of the home area. Kevin Foley rolled the ball back to Jones who flicked it into the air and volleyed a cross that Zubar just failed to get a head to. James knocked down a shot from Mujangi Bia after Jones had run along the by-line and pulled the ball back, before Wanderers deservedly pulled level in the 35th minute. Jones drove a free-kick into the box and James could only parry Zubar's header. The keeper then somehow managed to block Doyle's follow up header but again he couldn't hold on and the striker ran in to force the ball over the line. But it took Portsmouth just four minutes to regain the lead as Utaka drilled home a low shot from just outside the box. Hahnemann then had to cut out a driven cross from Kevin Prince-Boateng before the half ended with James blocking at Doyle's feet after Mujangi Bia had slipped the ball into the box. Half-Time: Pompey 2 Wolves 1 Both sides made changes at the start of the new half with Chris Iwelumo replacing Mujangi Bia for Wolves and Tommy Smith and Joel Ward taking the respective places of Dindane and Mokoena for Pompey. Christophe Berra was shown the yellow card for a challenge on Utaka before a spectacular effort from Doyle almost conjured up an equaliser for Wolves. Foley floated a cross to Doyle on the far side of the box and he connected perfectly with a scissors kick that had James diving backwards to touch the ball over the bar. Sylvan Ebanks-Blake came on for Michael Mancienne just before the hour and with his first touch the striker had the chance of scoring. Iwelumo headed down to Doyle who cracked a shot against the foot of the post. The ball rebounded to Ebanks-Blake but he screwed his shot wide of the far post. Wolves continued to press and James had to push behind a cross from Foley. But, against the run of play, Portsmouth scored a third goal through Brown who fired across Hahnemann and into the bottom corner. Hahnemann kept a fourth out with his legs after a break saw Boateng run half the length of the pitch before slipping a pass to Smith who was thwarted by the American keeper. James then somehow kept out a close rang shot from Foley after Iwelumo had nodded down a Zubar cross. Then, with an almost carbon copy of his earlier miss, Ebanks-Blake was wide of the far post after Foley and Berra had carved out the opening. Adlene Guedioura was sent on for Foley with 12 minutes remaining and just a minute after his introduction he delivered a cross that Lennard Sowah managed to head behind as both Ebanks-Blake and Zubar threatened. From another Guedioura centre, Zubar nodded the ball back into the heart of the box but Doyle's header was too high. The home side broke from defence and should have had a fourth goal but Frederic Piquionne blazed his shot from eight-yards high over the bar after Vanden Borre had pulled the ball back from the by-line. In the dying minutes Jones fired narrowly wide after playing a one-two with Guedioura, and then he shot over the bar from 25-yards. Pompey: James (capt), Mokoena (Ward 45), Piquionne, Brown, Finnan, Utaka, Borre, Hughes (Diop 59), Boateng, Dindane (Smith 45), Sowah. Unused subs: Ashdown, Mullins, Kanu, Ritchie. Wolves: Hahnemann, Zubar, Elokobi, Mancienne (Ebanks-Blake 59), Craddock, Berra, Foley (Guedioura 78), Henry (capt), Doyle, Jones, Mujangi Bia (Iwelumo 45). Unused subs: Ikeme, Edwards, Stearman, Milijaš. Booking: Berra (50 - foul). Referee: M. Jones. Attendance: 19,213.   Portsmouth Wolverhampton Goals : 3 1 Possession : 55% 45% Shots On Target : 8 11 Shots Off Target : 4 7 Corners : 7 9 Fouls : 10 13 Most Fouls : Brown (3) Henry (2) Yellow Cards : 0 1 Red Cards : 0 0 Scorers :       Doyle 35 As it happened: PORTSMOUTH: James, Mokoena, Vanden Borre, Sowah, Finnan, Brown, Hughes, Boateng, Piquionne, Utaka, Dindane. SUBS: Ashdown, Mullins, Bouba Diop, Smith, Kanu, Ward, Ritchie. WOLVES: Hahnemann, Zubar, Craddock, Berra, Elokobi, Mancienne, Henry, Jones, Foley, Doyle, Mujangi. SUBS: Ikeme, Stearman, Edwards, Milijas, Guedioura, Ebanks-Blake, Iwelumo. Two changes for Wolves with Henry back from suspension at the expense of Edwards and Mujangi in for the injured Ward. FIRST 20 MINS: Wolves produce some good chances in the early stages. Mujangi's shot is deflected straight to James, a Jones free kick is turned around the post by James and Craddock just fails to get on the end of Doyle's header from a corner at the far post. Portsmouth have looked dangerous going forward with their lively attackers ~ 20: GOAL: 1-0 DINDANE. Pompey break the deadlock. Brown's free kick is met by a header from Dindane which finds the net. 23: Pompey are buoyed by the goal and go close again, Piquionne firing in a low shot which Hahnemann does well to save. 27: Wolves try to respond with an enterprising free kick which ends with Jones firing inches wide. 33: Another chance for Wolves. Good work from Henry on the right and eventually the ball drops to Mujangi whose fierce drive is too hot for James to handle but he does enough to parry. 35: GOAL: 1-1 DOYLE. Wolves back on terms. Great ball whipped into the box by Jones and Zubar beats the offside trap to deliver a header which James saves well. Doyle follows up but his header is also blocked by the England keeper. It's third time lucky though as Doyle tucks away the rebound for his eighth goal of the season. ~ 39: GOAL 2-1 UTAKA. But Portsmouth back in front pretty quickly. Utaka takes aim from distance and fires into the bottom corner. 45: Wolves - and Doyle - close to a second equaliser. Clever ball in from Mujangi and Doyle gets on the end of it but his attempt to clip the ball past James is blocked by the big keeper. 45: Two minutes added time to follow. HALF TIME: POMPEY 2-1 WOLVES Hilarious scenes during half time as various Portsmouth Player of the Year awards are presented, including their main award. A total of NINE awards in total - and all of them won by on-loan midfielder Jamie O'Hara! O'Hara, injured today, will need a big bag to take those away. Oh yes, and there's also a Player of the Month award as well to take it into double figures. O'Hara must have had a good season! His model fiancee Danielle Lloyd, sat here behind Ivory Coast coach Sven Goran Eriksson, will be equally as happy. ~ 45: Back underway. Change for Wolves at half time with Iwelumo on for Mujangi. Doyle moves out to left. Double switch for Pompey. Ward and Smith for Mokoena and Dindane. 46: Wolves fans singing "There's only one Tina Turner" to David James thanks to a magnificent haircut! James gives them an acknowledgement. "Tina for England" is the next chant. All good stuff. ~ 50: Berra the first into the notebook of referee Mike Jones after a foul on Utaka. 55: Great acrobatic effort from Doyle to Foley's clipped pass sees James forced to tip over. 56: Another change for Wolves, Ebanks-Blake on for Mancienne. Three strikers on now. 56: Today's crowd is 19, 213. 57: Just after Hughes walks off holding his head there's another clash as Doyle gets to the header first but is then 'headed' himself by Ward. Both able to get up after treatment. 59: So close for Wolves. Doyle having just comes on latches on to Iwelumo's flick and his first time shot flies back off the inside of the post. Ebanks-Blake is on to the follow up but with James stranded directs his first time shot wide. First touch for Ebanks-Blake which could have ended in glory for the second successive Saturday! 59: Switch for Pompey. Hughes not returning so Bouba Diop on. 62: Utaka back on the attack for the hosts but this time drags his shot wide. 62: Still a very lively game and Foley's cross-come-shot from the wide is turned around the post by James. 67: GOAL: BROWN 3-1. Despite the recent Wolves dominance it's Pompey who strike next. Cross from the right runs through to Brown at the far post and his low shot beats Hahnemann. 70: Almost another fourth. Boateng breaks and feeds Smith on his own in the box but Hahnemann produces an instinctive stop to save with his legs. 71: James has had an outstanding afternoon and is in again to deny Foley. Iwelumo's knockdown had fallen to Foley who controlled before stabbing goalwards. 73: Poor decision from referee Jones as Craddock uses his strength to hold off Utaka to allow the ball to run through to Hahnemann. Nothing wrong with that but referee Jones gives a free kick. 74: Free kick tapped to Piquionne but his shot blocked. 76: Ebanks-Blake in again after outmuscling Piquionne to Berra's header into the area but his fierce shot agonisingly wide of the far post. 78: Final change for Wolves, Guedioura for Foley. 79: Guedioura heavily involved immediately. Good run to pick up a through ball down the left and sends in a cross which Sowah heads behind to prevent Zubar getting the chance. 80: And Guedioura again with another cross headed back across goal by Zubar for Doyle who heads over. 81: Vanden Borre makes a good run down the right and pulls back to Piquionne who fires high and over from a good chance. 82: Another Vanden Borre cross threatens problems but Hahnemann takes cleanly. 89: Doyle shot blocked by Brown as game peters out. Jones then shoots wide after one-two. 90: Three minutes added time to follow. 90+3: Jones fires over with a powerful effort 30 seconds from time. FULL TIME: POMPEY 3-1 WOLVES   Sat 24th April Wolves 1 (Sylvan Ebanks-Blake) Blackburn 1  KO 3pm  Another tense 95 minutes at the Mol, which erupted when Sylvan scored his first open play goal in the Prem - here's his celebration (pic Peter Harrington). Blackburn hit the woodwork twice including one late shot from former Wolves boo-target Keith Andrews who Paul Ince signed to Blackburn. Wolves 1 (Ebanks-Blake 81) Blackburn Rovers 1 (Nelsen 28) Substitute Sylvan Ebanks-Blake had a packed Molineux on its feet as he headed a late point saving equaliser against Blackburn to all but ensure top flight football for Wolves next season. Only Burnley can now condemn Mick McCarthy's men to the drop and for that to happen The Clarets would have to win their remaining three games whilst Wolves lost to Portsmouth and Sunderland. (Ed: Burnley were trashed by Liverpool on Sunday so Wolves are safe) There was just one change to the Wanderers line up with Stephen Ward coming in for injury victim Matt Jarvis. Rovers kicked-off attacking the North Bank end on a sunny spring afternoon.. The opening minutes were lively but chanceless although Marcus Hahnemann had to pluck a long throw from Morten Gamst Pedersen out of the air. Ward was slightly fortunate not to concede a penalty in the ninth minute when he caught Michel Salgado but referee Mark Clattenburg waved play on. Dave Edwards nodded a Ward centre back to Kevin Doyle but the striker had two defenders tightly marking him and the ball was headed clear. There was a let off for Wolves in then 18th minute when Steven Nzonzi crossed for Nikola Kalinic to head against the outside of a post. A probing cross from Doyle was headed behind by a defender as Edwards charged in. Dave Jones took the flag kick and when the ball was half cleared back to him, he fired into the side netting. A volley from Nzonzi was headed behind by George Elokobi, but from the resultant corner, taken by Gamst Pedersen, Rovers took a 28th minute lead. The ball went right through to the back post where visiting captain Ryan Nelsen was on hand to force it over the line with his shin. Doyle headed over after a centre from a Ward who, shortly afterwards, drilled in a low cross that was cut out by Rovers keeper Paul Robinson. Chris Iwelumo was sent on in place of Edwards as Wolves moved from 4-3-3 to a 4-4-2 formation. In first-half stoppage time Nzonzi tripped Ward just a yard to the left of the Rovers box. Kevin Foley flicked the free-kick up to Jones who volleyed a cross that Jody Craddock met at the far post but, from an acute angle, he fired across the face of goal. Half-Time: Wolves 0 Rovers 1 Blackburn replaced Yildray Basturk with David Dunn at the start of the second-half. Salgado fouled Doyle some 25-yards out and Jones's free-kick drew a fine save from Robinson after the wall failed to stop it. Jones took the corner conceded and after the ball had been headed out on the far side, Elokobi's long throw was nodded on by Iwelumo to Craddock whose volley was a yard too high. After Gamst Pedersen had been booked for a late tackle on Ronald Zubar, another Jones corner hit Gael Givet and flew towards the net only for Phil Jones to clear off the line. Former Molineux midfielder Keith Andrews replaced Kalinic and after Hahnemann had wrongly been penalised for a back pass from Craddock, Andrews shot over the bar after the free-kick had been touched back to him. Midway through the half Nenad Milijaš went on in place of Michael Mancienne and shortly after Christophe Berra fouled another ex Wolf, Jason Roberts, just outside the Wolves box. Gamst Pedersen's free-kick was confidently claimed by Hahnemann who cleared upfield for Milijaš whose 22-yard shot bobbled well wide. Doyle was off target after a Jones corner and then Jones volleyed high over the bar after a Foley cross had been headed out. Wolves made a final change when Ebanks-Blake replaced Foley shortly before Hahnemann beat away a volley from Gamst Pedersen. But Molineux erupted in the 81st minute as Ebanks-Blake headed a Ward cross against the inside of the post and into the net (pictured). Hahnemann saved a shot on the turn from Roberts and Ebanks-Blake did likewise with a similar effort at the other end. But there were a few hearts in mouths in the final minute of the 90 when Andrews took a return pass from substitute Franco De Santo and hit a low shot that smacked against the foot of the near post and bounced behind. Wolves: Hahnemann, Zubar, Elokobi, Mancienne (Milijaš 66), Craddock (capt), Berra, Foley (Ebanks-Blake 79), Edwards (Iwelumo 37), Doyle, D. Jones, Ward. Unused subs: Hennessey, Stearman, Halford, Guedioura. Rovers: Robinson, Givet, Nelsen (capt), Roberts (Di Santo 85), Gamst Pedersen, Nzonzi, Basturk (Dunn 45), Olsson, Kalinic (Andrews 57), Salgado, P. Jones. Unused subs: Brown, Hoilett, Linganzi, Jacobsen. Booking: Gamst Pedersen (54 - foul). Referee: M. Clattenburg. Attendance: 28,967. Goals : 1 1 Possession : 53% 47% Shots On Target : 5 8 Shots Off Target : 9 4 Corners : 4 4 Fouls : 9 8 Most Fouls : Berra (3) Jones (2) Yellow Cards : 0 1 Red Cards : 0 0 Scorers :       Nelsen 28 0: Twenty minutes to kick off and the team complete their pre-match warm-up. One change for Wolves today with the injured Matt Jarvis making way for ~Stephen Ward. For Blackburn, former Wolves midfielder Keith Andrews is on the bench. 0: Players in the huddle and ready to go. Referee was changed yesterday morning. Lee Probert diverted to Hull v Sunderland and Mark Clattenburg to ~Molineux. 0: Off and running. 2: Ward, playing in the advanced left role in place of Jarvis, tries to send Elokobi away but the ball carries too much weight and is out for a goal kick. 7: Quiet-ish opening although Wolves have had some decent possession. Pederson can certainly chuck a throw in for Blackburn and it needs Hahnemann to come and gather. 8: Elsewhere today it's already West Ham 0-1 Wigan. 9: Wolves might just have got away with one there. Ward collides with Salgado as the full back tries to turn inside. He makes the most of it but there was certainly contact. 10: "We shall not be moved" booming out from the South Bank. 11: And elsewhere, Hull 0-1 Sunderland. 16: Wolves fortunate there. Mancienne pushed aside in midfield and Rovers break. Fortunately the attempted cross from Basturk is too strong for Nzonzi who while in space at the far post can only stab the ball wide. 17: Wolvs now on the attack. Ward sends in a good cross which Edwards, at full stretch, heads back across goal but Blackburn manage to clear. 18: But now Blackburn hit the woodwork. Kalinic gets his head to Nzonzi's cross and it's almost slow motion as Hahnemann watches it bounce against the post. 22: Blackburn on the attack again with Nzonzi's head on the end of a long ball but that's more comfortable for Hahnemann to make a routine save. 26: Good move from Wolves. Superb control from Doyle to take down a crossfield pass on a sixpence and sends in a great cross. Edwards is coming in but it's a Blackburn head to put it out for a corner. 27: Jones sends in a good corner which Robinson punches away. It's back with Jones who takes a step inside before trying a shot from an acute angle which is into the side netting. 27: Straight to the other end though where Rovers are causing problems. Nzonzi involved again with a shot which Elokobi heads behind for a corner. 28: GOAL: 0-1. NELSEN. The visitors take the lead. Pedersen sends in an inswinger which is met by Nelson at the far post to prod home. 29: That's the first goal Wolves have conceded at home since Paul Scholes netted for Manchester United. But they now need to score a first since David Jones netted against Tottenham. 31: The Wolves crowd have responded to the setback and now so too do the team. Ward sends in a cross and Doyle rises above his man but heads the difficult chance over. 34: Spot of panic from another Blackburn corner but Hahnemann had been impeded and Wolves get the free kick. 37: Substitute Iwelumo getting a long talking-to from Terry Connor. Are we seeing an early change? 37: Ward sends over a low cross which Robinson takes well. 37: And here is the change, Iwelumo on for Edwards. No obvious signs of injury and Edwards hadn't done anything wrong so it's purely a tactical switch to go 4-4-2. Foley on right flank, Ward on left, with Jones and Mancienne in the middle. 41: Berra penalised for a shoving match with Roberts and referee Clattenburg wants a word. 41: Elsewhere Jimmy Bullard misses a penalty for Hull so still Hull 0-1 Sunderland. But with Burnley playing tomorrow, even though Wolves would be unlikely to be caught by Hull by these results, safety would still not be assured. For that Wolves need to win whatever happens elsewhere. 45: Ward does down under a challenge of Nzonzi after a decent run. Free kick for Wolves on the left just outside the area. 45: One minute added time to follow. 45+1: Foley to Jones who flicks the ball up and fires it in. Doyle's header goes towards the back post where from the tightest of angles Craddock volleys back across goal but wide. HALF TIME: WOLVES 0-1 BLACKBURN 46: Great reception for Wolves and Blackburn's 1960 FA Cup squads during half time as Wolves lift the FA Cup once again. 46: Back underway. Switch for Blackburn with Dunn on for Basturk. 48: Mighty congested around the Blackburn penalty area as Iwelumo tries to tee up Doyle but the Irishman's shot is blocked. 52: Doyle fouled by Salgado 25 yards out. 53: Jones steps up and it's a great free kick but Robinson claws the ball around the post. Corner comes in but cleared. 53: Another great chance. Elokobi's long throw flicked on by Iwelumo and Craddock's fierce volley is just inches too high. 54: Very naughty studs-up challenge from Pederson on Zubar who needs treatment. Yellow card for the Blackburn man and the replays shows it could well have been a red. 55: Corner for Wolves and they go close. Givet directs the ball inadvertently towards his own goal but it's scrambled away, possibly off the line. 56: Another long throw causes panic as Robinson can't hold it but Iwelumo can't get enough power on the bouncing ball and Robinson gathers. 57: Switch for Blackburn as former Wolves man Andrews comes on for Kalinic. A few boos to start with but then applause from the Billy Wright Stand. Not sure why the boos to be honest, mainly from the South Bank. 60: Confusion between Hahnemann and Craddock with Roberts lurking. Craddock tries to bring the ball out, Hahnemann jumps on it, and referee Clattenburg rules it was a backpass. Bizarre. 61: Ball tapped to Andrews who fires over. Looks as if the kick was taken from just outside the area, which is even more bizarre! 65: All gone quiet now after the flurry of Wolves pressure. Looks like Milijaš about to enter the fray. 66: And indeed he is, the Serbian midfielder on for Mancienne. Plenty of culture in the Wolves midfield now. 68: Some jostling in the penalty area as a Blackburn corner comes in and Hahnemann appears to be nudged. But referee Clattenburg has got himself into a poor position and is unsighted and play goes on. Eventually Foley clears. 69: Now a free kick for Blackburn as Berra holds Roberts. Pedersen fires it in but straight into Hahnemann's midriff. 70: First sighter for Milijaš as he finds space but his 20-yard shot is just wide. 72: Jones' header headed back across goal by Berra but Craddock can't get the ball out of his feet to get a shot in. 75: Good chance for Doyle as he gets on the end of Jones' corner. But too much on the header and it's over the bar. 76: West Ham 2-2 Wigan now. 78: Good cross from Foley headed away and onto the left foot of Jones but his difficult volleyed effort is over. 79: Switch for Wolves with Ebanks-Blake on for Foley. Looks like Doyle will move to the right hand side. Great reception for Ebanks-Blake. Is this his day? 80: Almost didn't matter as Pederson gets on the end of Dunn's raking crossfield ball and lets fly with a half volley which Hahnemann parries away. 80: Andrews next to figure with an attacking run but his side-footed cross taken cleanly by Hahnemann. 81: GOAL: EBANKS-BLAKE 1-1. Yes it is his day!!!! Ebanks-Blake rises perfectly to meet Ward's cross and head into the bottom corner. First goal from open play in the Premier League and what a time. 84: West Ham 3-2 Wigan elsewhere. Wolves one goal from potential safety here. 85: Di Santo on for Roberts for Blackburn. Could still be a sting in the tail in this one at either end. 86: Ebanks-Blake got a taste for it now and swift turn on the edge of the box is followed by a powerful shot just over. 87: Milijaš brings down Dunn 30 yards out. This could be dangerous. 88: Pederson fires the free kick in but straight at Hahnemann. 89: "Wolves are staying up" is the cry from the South Bank. Not yet, not yet. 90: And Andrews almost puts Blackburn in front after a neat one-two after which he shoots against the outside of the post. 90: Crowd is 28, 967. 90: Three minutes added time to follow. 90+1: Boss McCarthy is like a caged tiger as Wolves give the ball away in midfield. Pedersen advances with a low shot which Hahnemann takes cleanly. 90+3: Full time and pitch invasion. Premature. Cannot secure safety today. FULL TIME: WOLVES 1-1 BLACKBURN     Sat 17th April Fulham 0 Wolves 0  KO 3pm Fulham 0 Wolves 0 Starring performance from Club Captain Jody Craddock who contained England "prospect" Bobby Zamora with great support from Christophe Berra while full backs Ronnie Zubar and George Elokobi contained the Duff and WBA reject threats very well. Indeed Duff was clean through in a three on one break which George broke up. Up front not much to report - three chances and some absolutely woeful set pieces with the eternal (we never score from apart from once) short corners and a total waste of time from a Dave Jones set up on the edge of the box. The night before was the London Wolves Meet the Players (here) but their (the players) excitement had worn off by the time they got on the pitch. Solid performance, but a couple of the other results meant we can't stop worrying. The WestHamStewardsarebadlosers(FulhamCravenCottagebranch) award to Steward supervisor number 4 who threatened to have Jez the ALOB seller arrested. A nice touch after the match though from a rather doddery Fulham owner Mohammed Al Fayed who spotted a disabled supporter on his mobility scooter outside the ground and went up, shook his hand, and chatted with him for about five minutes. And, it's official, we're staying up - so said Geoff Stelling and Phil Thompson when we saw them in a bar on Friday evening!! Talking of officials, Mike Dean actually gave us some free kicks. Wondrous indeed   For the second successive Saturday Wolves fought out a goalless draw but the point earned from a relatively chanceless game against Fulham at Craven Cottage edged Mick McCarthy's men ever nearer the Premier League safety zone. The Molineux team was unchanged from the game against Stoke City as Fulham kicked-off attacking the end of the ground that housed a sell out travelling support. (Ed: plus a load more in the "neutral zone") The Cottagers bossed the opening exchanges which were largely chanceless although Jody Craddock, with his head bandaged after the cut head he had suffered against Stoke, headed clear a dangerous cross from Damien Duff. When Wolves did break from defence, Mark Schwarzer had to race from his line to prevent a corner after an over-hit back-pass from Chris Smalling. Wolves won a 21st minute corner after a Ronald Zuber cross was headed behind but the flag-kick, taken by Dave Jones and helped on by Matt Jarvis, was cleared. Christophe Berra threw himself in the way of a Zoltan Gera drive, and when George Elokobi's long throw was half cleared to Zubar, the French defender volleyed well wide. Two Jarvis corners were cleared by the home defence, and then Berra and Craddock combined to make sure that a centre from Duff was cleared. There was a chance for Kevin Doyle in the 36th minute after Jones's shot had been blocked by Smalling. Doyle sidestepped his marker but then shot a yard wide of the post. Doyle then headed wide following a corner from Jones before Elokobi conceded an unproductive corner at the other end after another cross from Duff. Bobby Zamora went into the book when he caught Berra as he cleared the ball and shortly before the break Elokobi won a corner that came to nothing. Half-Time: Fulham 0 Wolves 0 Gera caught Berra in the face with an accidental elbow three minutes after the resumption but the Scottish defender was able to continue after treatment. Duff fired wide after Marcus Hahnemann had punched out a cross from Paul Konchesky. The ball took a deflection off a defender and from Simon Davies's corner, Zamora headed well wide. Dave Edwards was too high with an angled effort after Kevin Foley had helped the ball on, the when Fulham went on the frontfoot Chris Baird fired a dangerous cross through the heart of the goalmouth. Danny Murphy's half volley was way off target, and Elokobi made a superbly timed tackle to deny Duff a clear shot at goal after a well directed pass from Gera. Midway through the half Zamora was inches away from breaking the deadlock when he turned on the edge of the box and hit a shot that struck the outside of the post before bouncing to safety. Adlene Guedioura and Nenad Milijaš replaced Edwards and Jones respectively and, after Smalling had headed onto the roof of the net and Murphy had volleyed high and wide, Chris Iwelumo went on for Jarvis. In the closing minutes the Wolves defence looked to be well in charge although Gera wasn't far away after a cross from Duff. Michael Mancienne conceded a foul on Gera 25-yard out but Zamora's free-kick sailed over the bar. At the end, neither keeper had had a direct save to make and the only thing missing apart from goals, was the sound of the planes from the nearby deserted Heathrow Airport. Fulham: Schwarzer, Konchesky, Baird, Gera, Murphy (capt), Duff, Hughes, Etuhu, Zamora, Smalling, Davies. Unused subs: Zuberbuhler, Pantsil, Okaka, Nevland, Riise, Greening, Dikgacci. Booking; Zamora( 41 - foul). Wolves: Hahnemann, Zubar, Elokobi, Mancienne, Craddock (capt), Berra, Foley, Edwards (Guedioura 70), Doyle, Jones (Milijaš 73), Jarvis (Iwelumo 79). Unused subs: Hennessey, Ebanks-Blake, Ward, Halford. Referee: M. Dean. Attendance: 25,597. Stats   Fulham Wolverhampton Goals : 0 0 Possession : 53% 47% Shots On Target : 4 1 Shots Off Target : 7 4 Corners : 5 9 Fouls : 9 11 Most Fouls : Etuhu (3) Craddock (4) Yellow Cards : 1 0 Red Cards : 0 0 Live From Craven Cottage Posted on: Sat 17 Apr 2010 FULHAM: Schwarzer, Konchesky, Baird, Gera, Murphy, Duff, Hughes, Etuhu, Zamora, Smalling, Davies. SUBS: Zuberbuhler, Pantsil, Okaka, Nevland, Riise, Greening, Dikgacoi. WOLVES: Hahnemann, Zubar, Craddock, Berra, Elokobi, Mancienne, Jones, Edwards, Foley, Doyle, Jarvis. SUBS: Hennessey, Ward, Halford, Guedioura, Milijaš, Ebanks-Blake, Iwelumo. 0: Fulham chairman Mohamed Al Fayed is out of the tunnel first, taking the acclaim of the home fans as he walks across the pitch to his seat. 0: And now the Wolves contingent who aren't playing receive the applause of the Wolves fans as they make their way to their seats. Suspended skipper ~Karl Henry is there with Richard Stearman, Andrew Surman, ~Andy Keogh and Sam Vokes. 0: "We shall not be moved" is the song from the 2,900 Wolves fans packed into the away end. Plenty more Wolves shirts in the neutral section next to it as well. 0: Wolves players in the tunnel. Craddock sporting a bandage after the cut picked up against Stoke last weekend. 0: The teams come out. Great atmosphere at Craven Cottage. Chants of "Super Mick McCartht" from the vociferous travelling following. 0: Off and running thanks to referee Mike Dean. 2: Early sniff of an opening for Fulham as Gera keeps the ball in down the left and finds Konchesky. His cross is met on the full by Duff but his shot appears to be blocked by Zamora. 8: All the early possession with Fulham. Duff's cross was bound for Zamora but Craddock in with a fine header and then Zubar clears Konchesky's centre from the left. 11: Hahnemann is coolness personified in dealing with a high Zubar backpass. Calmly chests the ball down before belting it into orbit. 13: Jarvis flicks on and Smalley tries to pass back to Schwarzer. Bit too strong and the keeper has to slide in to prevent a corner and instead concede a throw-in. Zubar adjudged to have produced a foul throw though and the chance passes. 14: Jones needing treatment after a clash of heads with Murphy in the midfield. 15: Gera getting some stick from the Wolves fans. Can't think why. But he then almost gets on the end of a through ball. Takes it down but is at full stretch and so Hahnemann is able to gather. 17: Murphy puts a good ball into the area from a free kick and it brushes Smalley's head and goes wide but the flag was up in any case. 21: Great work from Zubar on the right and his teasing cross is turned over his own bar by Hughes. Corner comes to nothing and when Wolves next attack Berra is penalised for jumping into Schwarzer. 22: Berra immediately in more regulation action at the other end with a great block as Gera tries to fire goalwards on the half volley. ~ 26: Elokobi's long throw into the area is headed out and falls for Zubar but he mishits his attempted volley which drifts tamely wide. 26: Doyle wins a corner for Wolves. 27: Jarvis takes and Edwards gets the slightest of flicks from which Gera heads behind. The next one doesn't beat the first man however with Zamora able to head clear. 28: Jarvis shows a clean pair of heels to go past Hughes down the left from Doyle's pass and wins a corner. 29: Corner taken short by Jones to Jarvis but his attempted cross is too deep. 32: Berra on hand to clear a Duff centre before Craddock does likewise from Baird. Fulham keep up the pressure and Mancienne blocks Duff's cross at the expense of a corner. Hahnemann however gathers Duff's flag kick at the second time of asking under pressure from Smalley. 33: Having just given away a free kick for a late challenge on Zubar, Konchesky seems to produce a repeat performance. Not so in the opinion of referee Dean however who plays on with Zubar prone on the ground. 34: Zubar up and about again but limping. ~ 36: Closest so far for Wolves. Jones takes the ball on and mishits his shot. But ball drops to Doyle who takes a touch before shooting inches wide from 12 yards. 37: Jones takes an outswinging corner and Doyle gets his head to it but not enough of a connection and it glances wide. 39: Fulham break sparked by Gera and Duff's cross to the back post is headed behind by Elokobi with Zamora coming in. 40: Davies's flag kick headed away. 42: Zamora in late on Berra with a strong challenge after the defender had cleared. Understandable first yellow of the game for the in-form Fulham striker. 43: Etuhu now penalised for foul on Doyle after the Wolves man had shielded it with his body. Free kick in a decent position. 44: Not sure that's what Jones and Edwards meant to do as they seem to make a mess of it. Jones rescues the situation by playing Elokobi in down the left and his centre put out for a corner. 45: Jones's corner hs headed away. 45: Two minutes added time to follow. HALF TIME: FULHAM 0-0 WOLVES 46: Pitch heavily watered during half time. Wolves back out. And now Fulham. And now up and running. 49: Berra needs treatment after taking an accidental whack in the face from Gera. Able to carry on though. 50: Jarvis shows his pace to get on the end of Foley's pass and his shot is deflected for a corner. Flag kick flies through the area without touching anyone and out for a goal kick. 51: Fulham now break and after Hahnemann parries a cross away Duff's difficult half volley is wide. 52: Fulham keep up the pressure with a shot from Murphy which Berra deflects behind for a corner. 53: Initially it's cleared but then Hughes puts a cross in which is met by Gera but headed wide. 54: Fulham got their tails up at the moment. Crowd is 25, 597. 56: Wolves do attack now though and Foley does well before Edwards cracks a half volley over from an acute angle. 57: Fulham again now though as full back Baird breaks down the right and sends in a driven cross. Craddock does well to get in front of Zamora and whether he gets a touch or not, it keeps the ball away from the Fulham frontman. 61: Berra heads another cross away and it falls to Murphy whose half volley is drilled over. 61: Ebanks-Blake receiving plenty of support from the travelling fans as he warms up. 62: Good work from Foley, Zubar and Edwards earns Wolves a corner but it's to the near post and is cleared. 62: And now superb work from Elokobi at the other end to keep Wolves on terms. From Gera's pass, Duff is in on goal down the right and tries to turn onto his favoured left foot. But Elokobi in to nick the ball away with a superb challenge. 65: First real glimpse for Zamora and what a glimpse it is. Turns well on the edge of the box and flashes a right foot shot past Hahnemann but it thudders back off the foot of the post. ~ 69: Edwards fouled by Etuhu and it's his last action. Guedioura on off the bench. 70: Jones swings the free kick into the box but it's all the way through to Hahnemann. 73: Second change for Wolves with Milijaš on for Jones. 75: Close for Fulham from Davies's corner. Hahnemann comes but doesn't get it and Smalling wins the header but it's onto the roof of the net. 77: Milijaš strokes a great ball over the top for Doyle but Schwarzer is out just in time. Offside flag was up in any case. 78: Over from Murphy from another half volley as Fulham try to step up the pressure. 79: Final switch for Wolves, Iwelumo on for Jarvis. Doyle will move out to the left. 82: Wolves win a free kick on the right and Milijaš tries to swing it in but it's too deep and out of play. 83: Good work from Doyle, Milijaš and Zubar but when the ball comes to Guedioura his attempted centre is out of play. 85: Zamora has been a lot more involved in the second half and causing one or two problems. His latest cross deflects off Craddock to safety. 85: At the other end a long throw from Elokobi is flicked off either Berra or Smalling but straight into Schwarzer's hands. 86: This time Duff does outwit Elokobi before a hanging cross which is met by Gera but the header is onto the roof of the net. 89: Mancienne concedes a free kick for a foul on Gera. Dangerous position this. They try and take it quickly and Duff is in but referee Dean rules that the whistle hasn't been blown. 90: Zamora lining it up. And it's high and wide. 90: Three minutes of added time to follow. 90+2: Another Fulham free kick sent forward quickly but the attacker caught offside.   Sun 11th April Wolves 0 Stoke 0 KO Noon Never seen so many head injuries. Congratulations to bandaged Jody Craddock celebrating his 500th League match as Captain. Stoke played one game only - the Delap throw and missed three good chances, which Kevin Foley had a brilliant shot just wide and deep into extra time Milijas' free kick had Sorensen finally engaged. A few earlier chances but a torrid first 20 minutes when we were under a Delap bombardment. Man of the Match - Markus Hahnemann. Gesture of the match - Ronnie Zubar giving his shirt and a kiss on the head to the wheelchair supporter in front of the family enclosure. Poor referee of the match - Chris Foy. Thug of the match - Kitson for his late thump into Michael Mancienne. Wolves took a point from their Staffordshire derby with Stoke after an industrious and passionate display in a game that produced little in the way of clear cut goal attempts. Dave Edwards returned for his first senior action since December in place of the suspended Karl Henry in an otherwise unchanged Wolves team. Jody Craddock took over the captain's armband. City kicked-off attacking the North Bank end and inside the first 30 seconds Dean Whitehead was appealing for a penalty after a Dave Jones challenge. But the midfielder looked to have won the ball. Christophe Berra was penalised for a tackle on Dave Kitson but Glenn Whelan's free-kick drifted harmlessly over everyone's head and out for a goal-kick. Rory Delap launched two of his trademark long-throws into the area and from the second the ball was headed out to Whelan who shot high over the bar from 20-yards. In the sixth minute Matt Jarvis got a touch to Edwards' low cross but Thomas Sorensen was perfectly positioned at his near post to block with a defender completing the clearance. Abdoulaye Faye headed well wide from another Delap throw but Whitehead was a lot closer with his header after a cross from Matthew Etherington. Virtually all the pressing had come from the visitors but Wanderers were close following a low cross from Kevin Foley that Jones just failed to get a touch to before the ball went behind Doyle. Stoke went close again in the 24th minute when Faye's header just cleared the bar after he had connected with Whelan's cross. Craddock left the field with a cut head just before Wolves won their first corner of the game which was taken by Jones. Edwards ran in and glanced a header that forced a fine diving save from Sorensen. Craddock returned with a bandaged head and he was soon in the thick of things as he headed clear some long through balls. Foley and Jarvis both homed in a deep ball into the Stoke box but Robert Huth ran in to clear for a corner before either player could prosper. Shortly before the break Jarvis ran onto a through ball from Jones and jinked his way past a challenge before having a shot blocked by Huth at close quarters. Half-Time: Wolves 0 Stoke 0 Michael Mancienne needed attention after had had landed badly from a challenge with Kitson, and then Craddock had to head clear from a congested six-yard box after Etherington crossed following a Delap throw that had only been partially cleared. Jarvis ballooned a shot over the bar from 18-yards after a centre from Kevin Doyle before Mamady Sidibe missed a great chance for City when he shot over with only Marcus Hahnemann to beat. Then it was the turn of Ronald Zubar to have a crack at Sorensen's goal after Edwards had chested the ball into the defender's path. He took a touch before hitting a shot that the Danish keeper saved comfortably. On 56 minutes a lucky bounce of the ball set up Kitson but Mancienne raced across to clear as the Stoke man prepared to shoot. Chris Iwelumo was Wolves first substitute of the afternoon when he came on for Edwards, and shortly afterwards Tuncay was sent on for Kitson when Tony Pulis decided on a change. Some neat footwork from Doyle in the Stoke area ended when Huth conceded a corner, and then Sidibe had to be replaced when he pulled up in agony holding his leg with what looked to be a hamstring injury. Liam Lawrence took his place. Craddock, who had gone up for a corner that was only half cleared, crossed from the left for Zubar to head into the arms of Simensen. Whelan fired over the bar from long-range and after Nenad Milijaš had replaced Jones, it was Whelan once more, again from distance, with Hahnemann watching the ball all the way as it flew a foot over the bar. In the 89th minute Foley was close to winning it for Wolves as he hooked a left-footed shot narrowly wide of the far post with Sorensen stranded.In stoppage time Huth's tackle on Berra 25-yards out resulted in a free-kick that was taken by Milijaš. His effort went over the wall and straight to Sorensen although the power of the shot meant the keeper needed two attempts to hold the ball after it had bounced off his chest. Wolves: Hahnemann, Zubar, Elokobi, Mancienne, Craddock (capt), Berra, Foley, Edwards (Iwelumo 59), Doyle, Jones (Milijaš 79), Jarvis. Unused subs: Hennessey, Ebanks-Blake, Ward, Halford, Guedioura. Stoke: Sorensen, Higginbotham, Huth, Whelan, Sidibe (Lawrence 72), Kitson (Tuncay 69), Whitehead, Collins, Delap, Faye (capt), Etherington. Unused subs: Begovic, Pugh, Wilkinson, Lund, Moult. Referee: C. Foy. Attendance: 28,455. . 0: Off underway and a fantastic atmosphere in the ~Molineux sunshine. 1: Early scare for Wolves with just 24 seconds on the clock. Whitehead tangles with Jones inside the Wolves penalty area and goes down. Appeal from the Stoke fans and Whitehead too but referee Foy waves it away. 5: Stoke exerting the early pressure and Hahnemann has to be alert to meet an underhit Elokobi back pass but slices his clearance into the crowd. 5: That's the prelude for the first Delap missile of the afternoon. It's headed away but only for another throw-in. This time Hahnemann gets a punch on it and Whelan is onto the ball but his shot is blocked. 6: More mayhem inside the penalty area but eventually Etherington fires over. 6: Wolves now attack with the first glimmer as Jarvis goes up against Huth on the left hand side of the area. The Stoke defender shepherds him out wide well. 7: Wolves keep up the attack however with Edwards flicking the ball over his head and Jarvis almost getting on the end of it at the near post only for Sorensen to gather. ~ 9: Delap launches the ball into the area for the fourth time already this afternoon and it's met cleanly by Faye but his header is narrowly wide. 10: Whelan swings in a corner for Stoke which Elokobi appears to head behind at the far post. Referee Foy however awards a goal-kick. 11: Another Delap throw-in but this time he mixes it up and goes short for Collins who wins a corner off Foley. The ball loops up inside the area and Huth gets his head on it but Hahnemann is equal to the effort and makes the catch. Seems quite a strong breeze causing one or two problems. ~ 14: Rare moment of respite for Wolves and Doyle wins a free kick from Collins' push. Jones sends the ball in but Stoke get it away and then do likewise as Zubar heads Mancienne's return into the box. 16: Another Delap throw leads to another Whelan corner. Whipped in but taken cleanly by Hahnemann. All Stoke so far. 17: Etherington swings in a cross from the left which is met by Whitehead but Hahnemann is able to watch it past his right hand post. 20: Stoke have had all the dominance but Wolves produce easily the best move of the match with some intricate passing. Ends with Foley's low ball into the box which Jones takes a swing at but doesn't make contact. That's got the crowd going. 22: Another Delap delivery is flicked on into the danger zone but Zubar makes the clearance. And the defender does well to keep an eye on Etherington whose attempted cross is then blocked by Craddock. 25: Another Delap throw and another Stoke chance. Ball returned into the box by Etherington and headed away by Berra. But Whelan returns it with interest and Faye gets in front of the Wolves defender but heads over, much to his own disgust. 25: Craddock took a whack during that last bombardment and needs to go off for stitches. Mancienne temporarily back in the centre of defence. 26: Etherington again breaks down the left for Stoke but his cross takes a deflection and Hahnemann gathers. 27: Good work by Foley and Doyle to set up Edwards whose cross is put behind by Huth for a Wolves corner. 27: Jones produces a superb inswinger met by Edwards and his decent header is clutched on the line by Sorensen. 28: Craddock back on, bandage again in place. How many times does that happen to the Wolves stalwart? 29: Wolves break following a Stoke corner and Jarvis finds Edwards who advances but finds his shot blocked. ~ 32: Superb Etherington inswinger is met at the near post by a Stoke head but is blocked when goalbound, either by Craddock or Hahnemann. 34: Another Delap throw-in from deep and met by Faye but he heads just wide. 36: Another Delap throw is met by chants of "Boring" from the Wolves fans. Boring but certainly effective and it needs a good Craddock head to divert the ball with Hahnemann gathering. 37: Almost a chance for Foley and Jarvis getting on the end of Hahnemann's clearance but a Stoke defender nips in to clear. Jones's corner is another good one and Doyle almost gets on the end of it but Stoke clear. 39: Stoppage in play for Mancienne and Sidibe to have treatment following an aerial challenge. Stoke fans let rip with 'Deliliah' which the Wolves fans try and drown out. 41: So close to a Jarvis chance. Jones intercepts a through pass and feeds it into him but having stepped inside there's another Stoke defender back to block. 45: One minute added time to follow. HALF TIME: WOLVES 0-0 STOKE 46: Back underway. 47: Early scare for Wolves with Mancienne down after an aerial challenge with Kitson. Just appeared to land awkwardly. 50: Mancienne back on and able to continue. Delap hoists another ball into the box and Huth heads on but straight through to Hahnemann. ~ 51: Another Delap throw is cleared but only to Etherington at the back post. He returns the ball into the area but Berra clears. 52: Jarvis sends in a corner in but it's too deep to the far post. Retrieved by Doyle whose cross finds its way back to Jarvis. The winger skips inside but the ball appears to bobble before he shoots and it's well over the bar. 53: Some serious Stoke pressure here. Ends with Sidibe firing over from a great opportunity at the far post. followed another minute or so of aerial pressure from the visitors. 54: Chance for Wolves as Edwards controls a cross from Zubar. Manages to get the ball out of his feet and hit a shot at full stretch which is taken cleanly by Sorensen. ~ 59: Change for Wolves with Iwelumo on for Edwards, for whom today was his first start in four months. 61: Wolves turn to exert a bit of pressure but Stoke standing firm. Foley runs across the defence and tries a shot but it's blocked. 63: Zubar down for treatment after dealing with another Delap throw. Also Higginbotham for Stoke but both seem o-k. 64: Wolves appear to have gone 4-4-2 with that change, Iwelumo and Doyle up front together. 67: Good run for Doyle and although his attempted pass is intercepted by Etherington Wolves win a corner. Jones's flag kick is cleared. 67: This time it's Collins needing attention after the Wolves corner. 68: Controversy as Etherington handles a Jones header. Referee Foy adjudges that Jones pushed Etherington while going for header. Jones is furious and replays suggest he has a point. 69: Switch for Stoke, Tuncay for Kitson. 71: Sidibe goes down on the touchline with no other player close to him. Doesn't look great for the Stoke striker. 72: Great little run by Doyle jinking inside and out and his cross is put behind by Huth. 72: Sidibe manages to hobble down the tunnel to be replaced by Lawrence. Stoke deal with Jones's corner. 73: Craddock, up for a corner, retrieves a loose ball and sends it into the box where Zubar's looping header is comfortable for Sorensen. 75: Mancienne in the right place to make a back-heeled clearance but Whelan is on the end of it with a fierce rising drive which just clears the Wolves crossbar. ~ 79: Doyle penalised for a foul on Etherington who needs treatment. Wolves make another change with Milijaš on for Jones. 80: Crowd today 28, 455. 81: Now it's Berra down for treatment following a clash with Delap. Looks like a cut to the mouth for the Wolves defender but he's carrying straight on. 85: Spot of pinball after another Delap throw and it ends with Elokobi blocking a shot. But only out for another throw, which is headed away by Milijaš. 87: It's not so much the throws themselves that cause problems as the knockdowns that come off them and Whelan is again in space on the edge of the area as one is cleared, but his first time shot is over. 89: Close for Wolves and from an Elokobi throw! Flicked on by Iwelumo and Foley's left foot half volley isn't too far away. 90: Astonishing decision by referee Foy as Huth obstructs Jarvis and as the winger tries to get around him it's Stoke that get the free kick. 90: Four minutes added time to follow. 90+2: Another opening from an Elokobi throw and again thanks to Iwelumo's flick. Foley's involved but it's out for a corner. 90+3: Corner cleared but Berra fouled by Huth and Wolves have a free kick 30 yards out. Here comes Milijaš. 90+3: It's over the wall from the Serbian but too central and Sorensen is able to spill the ball and catch at the second attempt. 90+4: Another Delap throw in and eventually Hahnemann takes. FULL TIME: WOLVES 0-0 STOKE   Wolverhampton Stoke Goals : 0 0 Possession : 51% 49% Shots On Target : 8 1 Shots Off Target : 2 8 Corners : 7 6 Fouls : 7 4 Most Fouls : Mancienne (2) Delap (1) Yellow Cards : 0 0 Red Cards : 0 0   Sat 3rd April Arsenal 1 (Bendtner 95) Wolves 0 KO 3pm After holding out for 98 minutes, a cruel finish from Nicklas Bendtner. Marcus Hahnemann was our clear man of the match keeping the gunners at bay while the pairing of George Elokobi and anyone who could help him kept Walcott pretty quiet. One attack with Walcott clean through was halted by the much improved (in midfield) Michael Mancienne who got back to him but at the cost of a yellow. But the talking point was ref Andre Marriner again turning a match for the team in red by sending off one of out players. None of the pundits believe it was a sending off - even Arsene Wenger didn't think it was - although, at speed it looked a poor challenge by Rosicky's writhing on the ground clearly influenced this poor referee. Meanwhile, Wolves attacking efforts were abysmal, with wasted free kicks on the few occasions we got into the other half, and, even worse, two injury time tame "shots" to Almunia to enable him to keep the attacks coming. Worst of all was Keogh, who should have learned from Doyle what being a lone striker is all about. He hasn't - weak or feeble challenges, no chasing, no retention of the ball, just one useful clearance in our own ares. Doyler ran his heart out as usual but when Karl Henry was dismissed Mick decided to rest him and Dave Jones and brought on Dave Edwards' welcome return, but instead of putting on a striker who could cause the defence problems, brought on powderpuff Keogh, which in the end cost us the game. The goal came when George Elokobi was drawn in and Wardy should have handled Walcott but let him get his cross in; the centre backs had also been drawn out of the 6 yard box, and Zubar was left to deal with Bendtner, but the Dane got goalside and that was that. A better result than anyone expected but cruel after all the effors. The Times said: After the Lord Mayor’s Show, the late show. Again. All but one of the 95 minutes had ticked by when substitute Nicklas Bendtner stooped low to head home a cross by Bacary Sagna and keep Arsenal’s increasingly zany bandwagon rolling. On the touchline, Arsène Wenger had all but given up as Wolves, reduced to 10 men for the last 25 minutes, doggedly refused to bow to the home team’s unrelenting pressure. Luckily, his team had more faith. “Had we not scored, it was finished,” said Wenger of his club’s challenge for the title. “Five points behind Chelsea with five games to go, you can forget it. Now it’s feasible.” They also enjoyed the rub of the green as well — as the Wolves manager, Mick McCarthy, pointed out. Whether the match turned on Karl Henry’s red card was dubious — Wolves held out for more than half an hour afterwards — but the visitors’ sense of injustice was understandable. Henry’s tackle on Tomas Rosicky, as even Wenger admitted, was late and strong, but not malicious, worthy of yellow not red. Rosicky, though, clutched the ankle theatrically, possibly evoking the spectre of the injuries to Eduardo and Aaron Ramsey in the mind of referee Andre Marriner. “A few players were around the referee helping him make the decision,” was McCarthy’s response. “It was a bad decision.” (ed - especially Campbell who himself should have been redcarded for his holding off Doyle around the face; same old Arsenal, always cheating) The Wolves manager had a right to be baffled by the five minutes of added time too, but he was probably spitting more at Andy Keogh, who had the ball in the centre circle and tried an extravagant shot instead of running down the clock. He is young and will learn, but Wolves were glimpsing their first clean sheet against Arsenal in 17 matches. Molineux reported: Just 60 seconds from the end of the five minutes of added time, Nicklas Bendtner broke Wolves hearts as he headed the winner for an Arsenal side that had constantly been denied by a valiant visiting defence. It had been a real backs to the wall performance by the Molineux men whose cause wasn't helped by an appalling referee decision by Andre Marriner. The official who had controversially sent Stephen Ward off at Liverpool in December, ordered Karl Henry off for a challenge that, at worst, warranted a booking. Arsenal kicked-off attacking the end of the Emirates Stadium that housed just under 3,000 travelling supporters. Wolves won an early free-kick which was taken by George Elokobi but easily cleared by the home defence. Marcus Hahnemann made a fine save in the sixth minute as he turned Eduardo's shot round the post after the Croatian had connected with Theo Walcott's low cross. Michael Mancienne screwed a drive wide after a Kevin Foley had found him 25-yards out, and then Eduardo fluffed his shot from in front of goal, scuffing the ball wide after a centre from Tomas Rosicky. Bacary Sagna sprinted onto a through ball from Walcott and forced a diving save from Hahnemann - the ball bouncing clear off the keeper's legs. The American was in the thick of thing and after cutting out a low cross from Walcott he was hurt and had to receive treatment after Sagna had collided with him. Henry was harshly penalised for a challenge on Emmanuel Eboue just a yard outside the Wolves box. Eduardo touched the ball to Thomas Vermaelen who was both high and wide with his effort. Elokobi headed a clearance to Walcott whose half volley from 22-yards went straight to Hahnemann and then Rosicky fired high over the bar with a shot on the turn. After Denilson drove wide, Mikael Silvestre's shot was easily claimed by the keeper who then punched clear following a corner from Eboue. As the half drew to a close, Wolves broke free from their defensive shackles and Ronald Zubar forced a corner that was cleared by Manuel Almunia. For the first time in the game it was The Gunners that were forced back and another corner, this time taken by Matt Jarvis, was again fisted clear by the keeper. Half-Time: Arsenal 0 Wolves 0 The second-half began with a dangerous cross from Silvestre that flew through the goalmouth and out to the far side. When the ball was cleared upfield, Almunia had to race from his area to boot the ball out as Kevin Doyle homed in on an Elokobi clearance. But it was still all Arsenal and after Eduardo had poked the ball wide from just eight-yards out, Hahnemann did well to hold on to an angled drive from Rosicky. On the hour mark, Sol Campbell and Almunia tangled as they attempted to reach a cross from Jarvis with the central defender just doing enough to get the ball away. Alex Song fouled Henry 25-yards out from the Arsenal goal. The Wolves skipper flicked the free-kick to Dave Jones who struck the ball well only for Almunia to make a comfortable save. Jarvis was shown the yellow card for a tackle on Song before the first substitution of the afternoon saw Bendtner replacing Eboue. Midway through the half came the Henry dismissal. His challenge on Rosicky was perhaps untidy, but he looked to have got to the ball. But out came the red card to make Wanderers task even harder. Rosicky, who two minutes earlier had been lying prone on the floor, quickly recovered and Hahnemann had to make a point blank save to deny him. Mick McCarthy then made a double switch replacing Jones and Doyle with Dave Edwards and Andy Keogh respectively. Shortly afterwards, Samir Nasri came on in place of Song for Arsenal. Hahnemann plucked a Bendtner header out of the air and then made an excellent stop to keep out an effort from Rosicky. Wolves almost sneaked into the lead following a Jarvis corner. The ball appeared to come off the back of Campbell's head but was cleared off the line by Rosicky. Mancienne went into the book for a foul on Walcott before both teams made further changes with Carlos Vela taking over from Eduardo for Arsenal, and Ward replacing Jarvis for Wolves. Denilson and Walcott both shot wide as the game moved into stoppage time and Keogh tried to chip Almunia from 40-yards but the keeper had no trouble in collecting. Then disaster struck as Bendtner headed Sagna's cross beyond the dive of Hahnemann. Arsenal: Almunia (capt), Sagna, Vermaelen, Rosicky, Eduardo (Vela 79), Walcott, Denilson, Song (Nasri 71), Silvestre, Eboue (Bendtner 64), Campbell. Unused subs: Diaby, Fabianski, Clichy, Eastmond. Wolves: Hahnemann, Zubar, Elokobi, Mancienne, Craddock, Berra, Foley, Henry (capt), Doyle (Keogh 69), Jones (Edwards 69), Jarvis (Ward 83). Unused subs: Hennessey, Iwelumo, Milijaš, Guedioura. Bookings: Jarvis (64 - foul), Mancienne (79 - foul). Sending-Off: Henry (66 - foul). Referee: A. Marriner. Attendance: 60,067. Stats   Arsenal Wolverhampton Goals : 1 0 Possession : 61% 39% Shots On Target : 13 2 Shots Off Target : 10 1 Corners : 10 4 Fouls : 10 13 Most Fouls : Denilson (2) Henry (4) Yellow Cards : 0 2 Red Cards : 0 1 Henry 66     Scorers :   Bendtner 90 + 4 As it happened ARSENAL: Almunia, Sagna, Vermaelen, Rosicky, Eduardo, Walcott, Denilson, Song, Silvestre, Eboue, Campbell. SUBS: Fabianski, Diaby, Nasri, Vela, Clichy, Eastmond, Bendtner. WOLVES: Hahnemann, Zubar, Craddock, Berra, Elokobi, Mancienne, Henry, Jones, Foley, Doyle, Jarvis. SUBS: Hennessey, Ward, Edwards, Milijaš, Guedioura, Keogh, Iwelumo. 0: Wolves out warming up. No changes to ~Mick McCarthy's team. Arsene Wenger shifts things around for the Gunners but still looks like a formidable line-up. 0: Interesting line from Arsene Wenger in his programme notes today. "I respect ~Mick McCarthy for what he's doing and how he's doing it. He speaks his mind, I speak my mind, and I think that's best." 0: No fewer than eight sprinklers pouring water onto the Emirates turf. Incredible surface. 0: "The Wonder of You" now blaring out over the speakers. Wolves fans enjoying that one. 0: Teams coming out. 0: ~Mick McCarthy and Arsene Wenger shake hands as kick-off nears. Almost 3,000 Wolves fans packed into the away end. 0: Huddle completed and we're underway. 2: Early free kick for Wolves after Doyle fouled but Elokobi's chip into the area comfortably headed away. Arsenal try for the first time to get Walcott away down the right but the pass is just too strong. 3: Walcott now glides past Berra down the right but touches with the ball with his left foot when trying to cross with his right and it's out for a goal kick. 6: If it's Walcott on the right it's Eboue trying to get forward down the left in support of lone frontman Eduardo and he bursts past Zubar but Craddock across to clear. 6: First real chance. Walcott away down the right and low centre met perfectly by first time Eduardo effort which Hahnemann turns around the post magnificently. 7: Corner is cleared but Arsenal already looking a potent threat going forward. 8: Wolves win a free kick in the midfield area but whatever the plan Jones, Mancienne and Henry make a mess of it with the latter's ball going out for a goal kick. ~Mick McCarthy is not amused. 11: Wolves make a decent attack of their own with Mancienne advancing and firing in a shot which is not far wide. 11: And Arsenal respond with a chance which should have put them award. Walcott plays in Rosicky down the right and he pulls it back cleverly to Eduardo. The striker takes a touch to steady himself but with only Hahnemann to beat miskicks the shot. 13: Wave after wave of Arsenal attacks now and it's down the right again. Walcott finds Sagna cutting into the area but his low shot is once again thwarted by the instincts of Hahnemann. 14: Hahnemann won't however be troubled by that effort from Vermaelen which is well over from distance. 14: Another Walcott run and low cross taken cleanly by Hahnemann. 16: Walcott to Sagna again and the defender and Hahnemann go into a 50-50. The ball breaks to Eboue who tries a backheel towards the open net but doesn't get enough on it and the ball is cleared. Linesman's flag was up in any case, although not sure for what. Hahnemann and Sagna both requiring treatment after the incident. 17: Both players able to restart and it's a free kick to Wolves to get the game underway. So the linesman had flagged for Sagna's challenge on Hahnemann and anything after that wouldn't have stood. 18: More treatment needed as Elokobi and Sagna go in. Both in there well but Sagna may just have caught Elokobi after he cleared. The big man doesn't go down easily. 19: Fortunately it looks like Elokobi is able to continue albeit running a bit gingerly at the moment. Wolves return the ball to Arsenal who had put it out. 20: Wolves just can't clear their lines at the moment and Henry tustles with Eduardo and concedes a free kick just outside the area. Well within range for Arsenal this one. 21: Eduardo taps the ball to Vermaelen but his shot is once again well over. 22: Walcott's shot blocked by Elokobi and Zubar heads over his own bar to concede a corner as the ball is returned into the area. 23: Another chance and another Walcott mention. Elokobi heads the corner away but Walcott is onto it in a flash with an excellent first time left foot drive which Hahnemann does well to take cleanly with an Arsenal player in close attendance. 25: We all know that referee Andre Marriner loves to blow his whistle and he's quick to have a chat with Doyle after he believes the striker hasn't returned the ball to Arsenal quickly enough after Jones conceded a free kick. 28: Jarvis wins a free kick following Rosicky's challenge and then needs to change his boots. Wolves are ready to carry on with Elokobi but Arsene Wenger appears to think it's time-wasting and the arms are outstretched. 30: Rosicky plays Walcott in down the right again and his driven cross-come-shot is wide of the far post. 31: Perhaps a tiny glimpse of a Wolves opening as Doyle keeps the ball and finds Jarvis on the left. But Arsenal can defend as well as attack and Song is back to support Sagna and pinch the ball off the Wolves winger. 33: Arsenal play more keep-ball just outside the area but Rosicky's shot at the end of it all is over the bar. 34: Arsenal emerge with the ball from a midfield skirmish and Walcott is running at Berra before finding Rosicky who backheels for Denilson whose low shot is wide. 37: Wolves keep the ball for a short spell but without getting anywhere and Arsenal are able to win it back and launch a break from which Elokobi's block on Walcott's cross leads to a corner. 38: Flag kick cleared back out to Sagna whose centre is met by low Silvestre effort which Hahnemann gathers. 41: Walcott down for treatment after a challenge from Henry. Referee Marriner ruled no foul. 44: Zubar advances down the right and Wolves win a corner. Jones's inswinger is promising and forces Almunia to punch away at the near post. 45: Another Walcott cross and Zubar clears. Another Sagna cross and Hahnemann takes. 45: Three minutes added time to follow. 45+2: Very good Wolves move sweeping from the left to the right and Jarvis wins the corner from Sagna's challenge. 45+2: Zubar wins the header from the corner but it's off target and Arsenal clear. 45+3: Arsenal break with Eboue down the right but he's too early with his attempted through ball and it's taken by Hahnemann. 45+3: Wolves win another corner at the end of the half. Jarvis' flag kick clawed away by Almunia. HALF TIME: ARSENAL 0-0 WOLVES 46: Back underway. 48: First chance for Arsenal. Silvestre turns Zubar inside the area and delivers a teasing low cross which just about evades everyone fortunately for Wolves. 50: Another Arsenal cross and again it doesn't produce a breakthrough as it flies across the area. 51: Another Walcott cross but it's behind the arriving players. Song picks up and cuts inside but fires wide. 53: Arsenal swing another corner into the area but Wolves manage to clear. More pressure from the Gunners at the start of the second half. 54: Eduardo latches onto a header inside the area and is always stretching for it so stabs the ball wide. 55: Change due for Wolves with Keogh about to come on. 56: Although that change may be slightly delayed. Physio Steve Kemp talking to the manager possibly about a player who is struggling? Keogh has now put his jumper back on. 58: Great tackle by Mancienne on the edge of the Wolves area to deny Arsenal a chance. But the onslaught continues. 59: Slight chaos here. Referee Marriner awards Wolves a throw-in, but the linesman, from halfway up the pitch, gives it Arsenal. Referee Marriner changes his mind. 59: And from the chance Rosicky fires low from the right hand angle but Hahnemann takes cleanly. 61: Good piece of play from Jarvis on the right and his low cross is cleared by Campbell from in front of Almunia. Bit of pressure from Wolves and another great Jarvis cross but no one in the box. 61: Great Elokobi cross cleared by Campbell but only over his head and out for a Wolves throw-in. Doyle tries to find space inside the area but Arsenal clear. 62: Henry tripped by Song outside the area. Free kick. 63: Jones fires it in but Almunia takes comfortably albeit at full stretch. 64: Jarvis booked for bringing down Sagna. No complaints there. 64: Change for Arsenal with Bendtner off the bench for Eboue. 65: Henry in on Rosicky. Red card. Another Wolves player sent off by Marriner this season. For Ward at Liverpool read Henry here. Replays shows it's an absolutely shocking decision. A strong challenge but a free kick at best, yellow at worst. Really really poor refereeing and not for the first time from this official this season. ~ 68: Wolves are going to find it even harder now after that appalling decision. Hahnemann out quickly to thwart Rosicky from close range. That's a quick recovery from what referee Marriner presumably deemed a violent challenge. 70: Wolves have to regroup. Edwards and Keogh on for Jones and Doyle. 71: Change for Arsenal, Nasri for Song. 73: Chance for Bendtner who gets head to cross but Hahnemann takes. 75: Edwards getting involved. It's his first appearance since injuring his ankle across North London at Tottenham in December. 76: Free kick comes in from Arsenal and Silvestre heads just wide. 77: Rosicky again and Hahnemann again. Curling effort taken at full stretch by the Wolves keeper. 78: Wolves win a corner after Jarvis's cross is headed wide by Keogh. Yes you read that right! Assistant initially gave goal kick, Marriner said corner, and this time he's not changing his mind. 79: Flag kick comes in and Wolves so close. Ball seems to come off the back of Campbell's head and is blocked by Rosicky seemingly on the line. 79: Arsenal break at full tilt and Mancienne impedes Walcott just outside the area. Yellow card and no complaints on this one. 79: Change for Arsenal, Vela on for Eduardo. 83: Wolves make final change, Ward on for Jarvis. 84: Berra blocks a shot from Nasri as Arsenal continue to press. 85: Rosicky cross is just too high for Bendtner who can only glance the ball on. 88: Denilson finds space but his shot is wide. 88: Crowd today is 60, 067. 89: Very rare moment of respite from Wolves but Ward's cross is onto the roof of the net. 90: Five minutes added time to follow. Now there's a surprise. 90+1: Rosicky's cross is taken well by Hahnemann. 90+2: Another driving Walcott run and cross is put out for a corner by Berra. 90+2: Nasri slips the ball into Walcott but from 12 yards out he prods it wide. 90+4: Keogh picks up the ball just inside the Arsenal half and thinks Almunia is off his line. Tries a long range chip but it's easy for the Arsenal keeper. 90+4: GOAL: BENDTNER 1-0. Agony for Wolves as Sagna crosses and Bendtner heads home. So, so cruel. 90+6: Super Mancienne challenge in injury time denies Denilson. Zubar attacks but shot runs through to keeper. FULL TIME: ARSENAL 1-0 WOLVES     back to top