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Next Match - Away at Charlton

Wolves 5 (Jones 14, Morgan og 29, Kightly 43, 62, Iwelumo 45) Nottingham Forest 1 (Foley og 55)

Probably the best first half at Moli this century saw Wolves wingers Michael Kightly and Matty Jarvis run rings around the Forest defence.  Kights helped himself to 2 of the goals while the precision of the passing leading to David Jones’ first Wolves league goal showed what was to come.   With George Elokobi out for the season, Stephen Ward filled in at left back - and had a good match because he had nothing to do. Stearman and Neill Collins controlled the back.  A bizarre own goal came when Forest’s keeper Chambers punched Kights’ cross onto the back of Morgan’s head and it went in.  Funnily enough, their goal which ruined Wayne’s clean sheet was very similar with Neill heading a clearance onto the back of Kevin Foley’s head.  Chris Iwelumo and SEB have now clearly shown the preferred starting line up, emphasised when Andy Keogh came on late and couldn’t get into the game.   Stoo & Stef bumped into John Lloyd (leading the unsuccessful Davis Cup team) with the US Open finalist, Andy Murray in the boardroom.
Wolves World has pictures.  Video will be added
Rampant Wolves chopped down Nottingham Forest with a devastating display of attacking football which saw them race into a 4-0 interval lead. Michael Kightly wrapped things up with his second and Wolves' fifth goal. The Molineux side also had two efforts ruled out for offside and Kightly saw his 25-yard drive bounce back off the crossbar. Stephen Ward was Mick McCarthy's choice at left-back in place of the unfortunate George Elokobi.

Wolves kicked-off attacking the South Bank end and with less than a minute gone Wes Morgan had to clear Matt Jarvis's low cross for a corner. Kightly's kick was laid into the path of Richard Stearman by Neill Collins but the defender's volley was wide of the far post. Forest responded immediately with a flag kick of their own but Chris Cohen was ruled offside after he had taken a return pass from a short corner. Ian Breckin was happy to concede yet another corner as Sylvan Ebanks-Blake ran onto Chris Iwelumo's nod on, before the visitors first real threat on the home goal in the 12th minute. Nathan Tyson got to the by-line and pulled the ball back to Lee Martin who drew a diving save from Wayne Hennessey. But two minutes later Wolves took the lead thanks to a debut goal from Dave Jones. Ebanks-Blake's cross from the right was helped on by Iwelumo into the path of Jones who curled a superb shot beyond the dive of Paul Smith and into the corner of the net. Forest were forced back by a stream of home attacks and Smith's goal was lucky to survive when Iwelumo headed onto the roof of the net after a short cross from Kightly. Then Luke Chambers was inches away from conceding an own goal as he attempted to clear another Kightly centre. The pressure had to pay off and it did in the 27th minute following Martin's ugly challenge on Kightly wide on the right. Jones took the free-kick and Smith's punched clearance hit Chambers on the back of the head and rebounded into the net. Kightly could have had two in the space of a minute. He hit a terrific effort from 25-yards that thumped against the bar and then saw his goalbound volley bounce behind off a defender after he had connected with Jarvis's cross. Ebanks-Blake was only just wide with a drive from the edge of the area after good work from Stearman had created the opportunity, and when the striker did find the net after Smith had parried and angled effort from Jarvis, his tap in was ruled out for offside. But in
the two minutes leading up to the break Wolves struck twice more. Kightly, after his earlier near thing, wasn't to be denied as he thumped a 25-yard shot into the roof of the net. Smith did get a touch but the power of the shot was too much and it went in off the underside of the bar. With the crowd still cheering Jarvis sped down the left-wing and arrowed a pinpoint centre into the path of Iwelumo who rifled the ball home from close quarters.

Half-Time: Wolves 4 Forest 0

Just 14 seconds of the new half had gone when the ball broke to Iwelumo in the Forest box. But it failed to drop kindly and the striker's half-hit shot was saved by Smith. In the 53rd minute Forest pulled a goal back following Martin's corner. Collin's clearing header struck Kevin Foley in the face and bounced back across the line despite the best efforts of Karl Henry to clear. Chambers went into the book for pulling back Jarvis to the left of the visitors box. Kightly took the free-kick with Smith touching the ball over as it curled towards the top corner. Kightly grabbed Wolves' fifth goal in the 62nd minute when he cut in from the right and ran past two challenges before firing into the opposite corner of the net. Shortly afterwards there was a double change in the Wolves team with Andy Keogh replacing Ebanks-Blake and Dave Edwards coming on for Jarvis. Chambers was lucky to stay on the field after clattering into Kightly. The winger went down clutching his ankle and, after initially playing on, the referee halted the game and spoke to the Forest man who was substituted shortly afterwards. Kightly left the field to loud applause when he was replaced by Michael Gray on 77 minutes. Smith produced a tremendous reflex save to keep out Iwelumo's header after Keogh had crossed from the left and, in stoppage time, Gray shot narrowly wide from 25-yards out.

Wolves: Hennessey, Foley. S. Ward, Henry (capt), Stearman, Collins, Kightly (77), Dave Jones, Ebanks-Blake (Keogh 65), Iwelumo, Jarvis (Edwards 65). Unused subs: Ikeme, Gray.

Forest: Smith, Chambers (Wilson 71), Morgan, Breckin (capt), Perch (McCleary 71), Tyson (Cole 71), Earnshaw, Cohen, Martin, Moussi, Bennett. Unused subs: Thornhill, Roberts. Bookings: Chambers (55 - foul), Bennett (88 - foul).

Referee: G. Hegley Attendance: 25,301.

Carling Cup 26th August - Rotherham  0 Wolves 0.  Rotherham go through 4-3 on penalties AET.

as a special service to Wolves fans, Wolves World decided to broadcast the Baggies loss instead of the Wolves commentary. 

Rotherham certainly had a few chances in this match which went to extra time. and then penalties, although Wolves dominated for long periods.  Carl Ikeme pulled off several good saves and put Wolves in the driving seat with a penalty save in the shoot out.  Then Kevin Foley shot wide and the hapless Elliott had his shot saved for Rotherham to go through.

Fortress Portman Road Saturday 23rd August Ipswich 0 Wolves 2  (Ebanks-Blake 21, Edwards 77)

Wolves went second after being the better team (according to Jim Magilton, Tractor Boys manager, aided by a two footed tackle ) by Alec Bruce - which missed, but wasn’t missed by ref Steve Tanner.  The match was marred by George Elokobi’s accident (after a push by Haynes)

Wolves World reports here http://www.wolves.premiumtv.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10307~43752,00.html

Wolves continued their unbeaten start to the season and moved up to second place in the Championship table after a well deserved win at Ipswich.  But the victory was marred by a serious injury to defender George Elokobi who was carried off on a stretcher with his left leg in a splint.

There was just the one change to the Wolves starting line-up with Neill Collins continuing in place of  Jody Craddock who was injured in the early stages of the home win over Sheffield Wednesday.   A third  minute corner from Michael Kightly was headed down by Collins before being booted clear by Ben  Thatcher.  Kightly volleyed wide when Richard Naylor's misplaced header dropped at his feet, before Kevin Lisbie took Ipswich's first corner of the contest with Collins' powerful header clearing the danger.  Wolves were playing the better football and in the 17th minute Chris Iwelumo's run took him past two challenges before his 20-yard shot was parried by Richard Wright.  Then it was Karl Henry's turn to power through the heart of the Town defence. His shot from the edge of the box bounced off a defender to Matt Jarvis but he was unable to prevent the ball from going behind.  But the pressure paid off in the 21st minute when a flowing Wolves move ended with Sylvan Ebanks-Blake heading past Wright after connecting with Jarvis's accurate cross.  Three minutes later Gareth McAuley clearly tugged at Ebanks-Blake's shirt as he went for another Jarvis centre but the referee ignored the justified penalty appeals from the Wolves striker.  In a rare Ipswich attack, Richard Stearman got in a crucial tackle on Lisbie to deflect the ball narrowly wide of Wayne Hennessey's goal. Then Veliche Shumulikoski was shown the yellow card for tripping Ebanks-Blake.  Wright saved a Jarvis drive at the near post but the keeper was a spectator as Collins powered a header inches wide following a free-kick from Kevin Foley wide on the right.  The former England international then dived to keep out Iwelumo's shot on the turn before Jon Walters volleyed a foot over the bar with Town's best effort of the half.  Three minutes before the break there was a suspicion of hands from Naylor as he went up to challenge Iwelumo for a Foley cross - the big striker's header going into the arms of Wright.  In stoppage time Henry's challenge on Alan Lee resulted in an Ipswich free-kick to the left of the visitors area. Tommy Miller fired the ball into the middle and it was headed out to Danny Haynes whose shot was way too high.

Half-Time: Ipswich 0 Wolves 1

Within two minutes of the restart, the ball dropped to the unmarked Walters but from 10-yards his low shot was too close to Hennessey who fell forwards to make the save.  Ipswich were looking a far more potent force following the break and they went close to equalising through Haynes who was a fraction too high with his shot after taking a pass from Lisbie. Hennessey pulled off a fine one-handed to deny Miller before Kightly just missed out on the chance of a second Wolves goal when he shot inches wide of the far post after Iwelumo had nodded down Collins' deep free-kick.   Disaster struck on the hour mark when Elokobi suffered what looked to be a serious leg injury. He went down after what appeared to be a shove from Haynes who crossed to Miller.  The striker's shot ballooned up in the air off a defender and when Hennessey, under pressure, failed to punch clear, the ball dropped once again to Miller whose close range effort was cleared off the line by Stearman.  Elokobi received lengthy treatment before he was carried off on a stretcher. Henry, who clearly felt his team-mate had been fouled, was booked for dissent and then Mick McCarthy made a double switch sending David Edwards on for Ebanks-Blake and Darren Ward for Elokobi.  On 70 minutes a reflex save from Wright kept out Stearman's header following a Jones free-kick. The ball looped behind the keeper and was about to cross the line when Naylor hooked it clear.  Ipswich's hopes of salvaging anything from the game were hit by a double blow in the space of two minutes.  First they lost the services of Alex Bruce for what looked to be a double footed challenge on Dave Jones. And the defender could only just have reached the dressing room when Wright failed to hold on to Jarvis's angled shot and Edwards was there to sweep the rebound into the net from close in.   Edwards almost helped himself to a hat-trick in the minutes that followed with Wright making a fine save from a 15-yard volley before taking another effort from the midfielder in his midriff with Kightly having set up both chances.  The pair combined again in the 84th minute but although Edwards beat Wright to Kightly's through pass and left the keeper stranded outside the area, McAuley had spotted the danger and was in position to clear.  In stoppage time Jarvis clipped the outside of the far post after he had cut in from the left and shot from the corner of the Ipswich box.

Town: Wright, McAuley (capt), Bruce, Naylor, Miller, Lisbie, Lee (Counago 45), Haynes (Trotter 70),  Walters, Shumulikoski (Garvan 54), Thatcher.  Unused subs: Supple, Balkestein.  Bookings: Shumulikoski  (27 - foul), Counago (86 - foul).  Sent-Off: Bruce (76 - dangerous play).

Wolves: Hennessey, Foley, Elokobi (D. Ward 63), Henry (capt), Stearman, Collins, Kightly (Keogh 90),  David Jones, Ebanks-Blake (Edwards 63), Iwelumo, Jarvis. Unused subs: Vokes, Ikeme.  Bookings: Henry (60 - dissent), Edwards (81 - kicking ball away).

Referee: S. Tanner.  Attendance: 21,483.

Saturday 16th August Wolves 4 (Iwelumo 28, 59, Ebanks-Blake - pen 53, Edwards 90) Sheffield Wednesday 1 (Esajas 15)

The new look (for the Championship) line up and handshake got the season at Molineux under way in front of 22,500.  A hesitant first 25 minutes, although with a few chances, but Chris Iwelumo led the line brilliantly while SEB took all the pain from the defenders.  Jody’s early injury seemed to actually strengthen the defence once Neill Collins had settled in.  Jody has a broken toe (aka metatarsal (and will be out for three months.

Wednesday took an early lead, and dominated play for the next 10 minutes.  Wolves then began to threaten and Chris I scored a deserved goal with a header from a corner.  1-1 at half time but to George Elokobi’s relief Dutch winger (and scorer) Esajas didn’t come out for the second half.  He was replaced by one-time Molineux young player of the year Leon Clarke (cue South Bank, “there’s only only lazy ba*tard”.  Then a terrific break by Matty Jarvis 7 minutes into the second half led to the award of a penalty when he was clipped by McAllister.  Straign down the middle got SEB’s season off to a start.  Chris Iwelumo was by now dominating the play and his clever flick ons were very reminiscent of 41 years ago with the arrival of another 30 year old - the Doog.  Giving the forwards and midfielders the chance to keep going forward rather than losing territory by dropping back, Chris was said by the Sporting Star to be “unplayable”.  His follow up to another breakaway by Kights whose shot was saved by Grant pushing the ball on to the post - the rebound was an easy tap in for Chris.  Sylvan took a lot of hard tackling but

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After falling behind to League leaders Sheffield Wednesday, a rampant Wolves side rattled in four goals with Chris Iwelumo hitting two more to add to the brace he scored against Accrington in midweek. The striker retained his place in the team following the Carling Cup win and Matt Jarvis came in for his first start of the campaign. Wolves kicked-off attacking the South Bank end and it took a fine save from Lee Grant to prevent Mick McCarthy's men from taking a second minute lead.  Kevin Foley hoisted over a cross from the right and Jarvis powered in a header that Grant turned behind at full stretch. After Dave Jones' corner had been cleared the ball broke to Jermaine Johnson who raced down the left before hitting a centre that Etienne Esajas volleyed wide from a good position.  A dangerous run by Johnson was only halted deep in the home area by Foley's tackle. But Jody Craddock was hurt in the scramble to clear the ball and he was helped off to be replaced by Neill Collins with only seven minutes gone. A superbly weighted ball out of defence by Sylvan Ebanks-Blake sent Jarvis away on the left. He took the ball to the by-line before pulling it back into the six-yard box where a defender thumped it out for a corner.  Michael Kightly's flag-kick was flicked on to Richard Stearman whose header was snapped up by Grant.  With 15 minutes gone Wednesday took the lead. Deon Burton fed Esajas who was given too much room and was able to pick his spot from the edge of the area - his low shot beating the dive of Wayne Hennessey. Three minutes later there was a chance for Burton who shot hurriedly at the Wolves keeper when he had the goal at his mercy. Hennessey easily gathered a James O'Connor free-kick after George Elokobi had been penalised for a challenge on Johnson by the right-hand corner flag before Wolves drew level in the 28th minute. Foley's pinpoint cross was met by Iwelumo who guided his header beyond the reach of Grant  A defensive slip left Burton with a clear shot at goal but his weak effort bobbled through to Hennessey.  Just before the break, Collins got a head to Kightly's corner. The ball bounced to Elokobi who pulled it back to the corner of the box where Kightly ran in and hit a left foot shot that drew the best out of Grant.

Half-Time: Wolves 1 Wednesday 1

Former Molineux striker Leon Clarke was an interval replacement for Esajas. (Leon was greeted by the South Bank choir with several choruses of "There's only one lazy bastard").  After Johnson was wide with a cross-shot, Wolves moved into a 54th minute lead thanks to an Ebanks-Blake penalty. Kightly's perfect through ball picked out Jarvis who raced into the box only to have his heels clipped by Sean McAllister. Ebanks-Blake slotted the ball straight down the middle from the spot to beat Grant.  With the game approaching the hour mark, Iwelumo struck again to give Wolves a cushion. Ebanks-Blake sent Kightly away and, after outpacing his marker, the winger looked certain to score only for his angled shot to bounce back off the post. But there was no reprieve for the Owls as Iwelumo was perfectly positioned to slot the rebound home from the edge of the six-yard box.  Hennessey claimed a Steve Watson free-kick after Kightly was adjudged to have fouled Clarke to the right of the home area.  From the keeper's clearance, the visiting defence allowed the ball to run through to Jarvis who tore into the box and clipped a shot inches wide of the far post. With 15 minutes remaining Jarvis left the field to loud applause to be replaced by Andy Keogh. Wolves continued to pressurise the Wednesday defence and Karl Henry's 20-yard shot took a hefty deflection and flew inches wide with Grant flatfooted. Dave Edwards was a late replacement for Kightly and the midfielder marked his brief appearance with Wolves' fourth goal deep into stoppage time.  Keogh's deep punt forward from the halfway line was chested down by Iwelumo to Ebanks-Blake who quickly spotted a gap and threaded the ball through to Edwards whose shot went in off the inside of the post.  Wednesday defender Richard Hinds was injured shortly before the goal and he was taken to hospital after the final whistle with a suspected broken ankle.

Wolves: Hennessey, Foley, Elokobi, Henry, Craddock (capt) (Collins 7), Stearman, Kightly (Edwards 86), David Jones, Ebanks-Blake, Iwelumo, Jarvis (Keogh 75).  Unused subs: Vokes, Ikeme. Booking: Jones (77 - foul).

Wednesday: Grant, Spurr, Hinds, Watson (Smith 68), McAllister, Burton, Esajas (Clarke 45), Beevers, Wood (capt), O'Connor, Johnson (Boden 70). Unused subs: Gilbert, O'Donnell.

Referee: M. Jones. Attendance: 22,491.

Tuesday August 12th 19.45  Carling Cup Wolves 3 (Iwelumo 73 103 Mark Davies 107)Accrington Stanley (Mullin Craney )2 AET

Stanley had several chances to cause the usual Wolves Carling Cup shock, but keeper Arthur was definitely a lot busier than Wayne.  It was the long awaited return of Mark Davies, after two years of injuries and very little match time, which brought the winner.  More to come

Saturday 9th August Plymouth Argyle 2 (Fallon 7, Seip 55)  Wolves 2 (Kightly 19, Vokes 78)
 

Wolves turned up like they thought they were Plymouth’s betters, and promptly learned they weren’t.   The lessons learned at Watford last season were clearly not remembered as new Club Captain Craddock ducked under the ball immediately after a Wolves attack and Plymouth went ahead.  Craddock seemed to want to follow in his predecessor’s footsteps, and just as Breen did against Ipswich to lose point, he gave away an unnecessary free kick just outside the box, but this time with a better result.  Against the run Kights equalised from a Kevin Foley pass just 12 minutes later.  Plymouth had most of the possession in the first half hour and only George Elokobi and Karl Henry turned up for Wolves.   Stearman and Craddock made far too many errors, and the score would have been much worse but for Wayne Hennessey.  In truth. and in spite of the Plymouth superiority only Graham Stack - on loan from Reading at Molineux for much of last season - kept Plymouth’s hopes alive.  Their second goal, though, seemed inevitable as the second half got underway, and Wolves failed to clear a corner for Seipp to score.

But the substitution of Ward and for Iwelumo and  Matty Jarvis on 67 brought a lot more pressure on to Plymouth, and in particular on Graham Stack.  But it was debutant Sam Vokes, who executed a brilliant one two with Chris Iwelumo who rescued the points after only one ,inute on the pitch.  Wolves continued to pressure but were really lucky not to concede again to a late Puncheon strike.  The Sporting Star (available online) credited Kights as MoM. 

Wolves World match report here: http://www.wolves.premiumtv.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10307~43662,00.html

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