Hereford 1 Wolves 3

A wonder goal from Michael Kightly, a clinical brace from Stephen Ward . . . if only this was the Championship!

Wolves stepped up the pace last night with an emphatic destruction of Graham Turner's Hereford, that could have seen them easily double the scoreline.

In keeping with the watchword of not paying too much attention to pre-season friendlies, Mick McCarthy's side were as upbeat last night as they off-key as they were at Wrexham.

You have to temper Wolves' overwhelming dominance with the fact this was a threadbare Hereford's second game in three days, while Wolves had the luxury of again fielding two different teams.

But there's nothing wrong with showing a bit of form at this stage.

Chances galore rained down on the Hereford goal as Wolves sliced through the Bulls' defence at will throughout.

In the first-half alone, Wolves could have scored four or five goals with Michael Kightly, Dave Edwards and Andy Keogh all having good chances, before Jody Craddock lunged in on Bradley-Hudson-Odoi to concede a 16th minute penalty.

Steve Guinan confidently slotted home from the spot to put the hosts ahead. His effort remained Hereford's only attack of the half.

In the next foray on the half hour, Kightly equalised with a full-blooded volley, from one of several crosses from Daniel Jones.

It might be early days, but there's a message from boss McCarthy for his players.

He said: "We have still got to punish teams because we shouldn't have been coming in at half-time at 1-1.

"The grass was cut shorter and it had had a bit of rain on it just before kick-off which always helps.

"But we can play – we proved that last season. We've got good players. If you're trying to play football and it doesn't come off then it can look bad.

"When it comes off, it's particularly nice on the eye. We went there last year and we had a really tough game.

"We got spanked first half, not in terms of the result. Tis time, we dominated them from start to finish and with the ball, which was most pleasing."

After the break, Wolves carried on from where they left off, despite 11 changes which saw an outing for trialist Ian Harte.

David Jones whistled a 25-yarder inches wide before Ward put Wolves ahead with a smart turn and left foot shot from 12 yards, after spinning his marker in the 47th minute.

Sylvan Ebanks-Blake could then have had a hat-trick as he saw a point-blank header saved and then a beautiful curling shot tipped over by overworked keeper Craig Samson.

His treble of near misses was completed when he lashed just wide after spinning his marker from a Mark Little pass.

This came after a Matt Jarvis cross had sparked pinball in the Bulls' box, with Michael Gray having an effort blocked.

Wolves' superiority was reinforced in the 76th minute when Ward volleyed into the roof of the net, after Ebanks-Blake had missed his connection and Jarvis had a shot saved following Little's cross.

Ward could have had a hat-trick but for a diving save, before Ebanks-Blake hit the bar, the pair setting each other up.

Just as pleasing as the goals and tempo was the link-up play, with Kevin Foley and Kightly and George Elokobi and Daniel Jones in the first half.

Little, Gray, Harte and Jarvis' follow on in the second offering plenty of thought for McCarthy.

He said: "It was much better than Saturday's performance but it means nothing. The players were all disappointed with how they played at Wrexham, which is good.

"This time, we weren't training on the morning of the game, so they had a good rest and they looked sharp.

"They're getting sharper and they played very well."

Hereford (4-4-2): Samson (Randolph 69); Hunt (Reid HT), Broadhurst (Breen 9), Beckwith (trialist 53), Rose (Threlfall HT); Johnson (McLeod HT), Diagouraga (Webb 78), Easton (Taylor 53), Done (C Jones 78); Guinan (trialist 65), Hudson-Odoi (trialist 71).

Wolves (4-4-2) (first-half): Hennessey; Foley, Craddock, Stearman, Elokobi; Kightly, Henry, D Edwards, Daniel Jones; Iwelumo, Keogh.

Wolves (4-4-2) (second-half): Ikeme; Little (L Collins 84), N Collins, D Ward, Harte; Gray (E Bennett 84), Davies, David Jones, Jarvis; Ebanks-Blake, S Ward.

Sub not used: Hughes.

Referee: P Keane.

Attendance: 1,539 (570 Wolves fans).