Young Wolves hungry for Premier League action

Wolves' cubs Sam Winnall and Danny Batth today expressed their hunger to take their impressive debuts into the Premier League after encouraging starts last night.

Striker Winnall, from Bradmore, Wolverhampton, won the penalty scored by Nenad Milijas to put Wolves ahead in last night's 2-1 Carling Cup win over Southend and went close to scoring with a volley.

Fellow 19-year-old academy graduate Batth, a 6ft 3ins centre-back from Brierley Hill, was only shaded for man of the match by Ronald Zubar, who made a strong comeback from injury.

Winnall said: "I'm hungry for more and while I know there's a long way to go, I hope to get a chance in a Premier League game at some stage.

"I've got to keep working hard in training and keep focused.

"This is a start and I've got to keep getting better."

Batth said: "Hopefully it's the first of many games here— I just hope I've made the right impression and we'll see where it takes me.

"I felt quite comfortable and I feel I can step up to that level and hold my own.

"If I can give the gaffer a selection problem, then great. I've just got to be ready."

Boss Mick McCarthy said the performances of the duo and Ashley Hemmings, who made his first start for the club, were highlights of the night.

"Sam did great to win the penalty and Ashley worked hard and did his bits," he said.

"They were playing against big, powerful centre backs and worked manfully and stuck at it.

"Big Danny Batth had a tough game and had to fight for every ball.

"He got cramp towards the end because he hasn't played much against players like that but he had an excellent game at the back.

"The result and the performance of the three lads is a positive, as well as getting Zubar and Dave Edwards back."

And Winnall paid tribute to the medical staff who helped make it all possible after he returned from a year out with a cruciate knee ligament injury.

"I think I owe everything to the medical staff here," he said.

"Steve Kemp, Alan Peacham and Mark James have all been tremendous with me.

"I'm forever grateful to all the medical staff for how they helped me through."

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