Preston 1 Wolves 3 - analysis

There have been times when Wolves have talked up expectations to try to satisfy a demanding public.

Sir Jack Hayward did it amid the first wave of big spending in the early 1990s. His son Jonathan infamously told fans to get their money on Wolves to win the title a few years later.

By contrast, this new Molineux regime made a conscious decision in the summer to play down talk of promotion for fear of strangling this emerging team with additional expectations.

From owner-chairman Steve Morgan down, the 'P' word was banned and every player was told not to talk up their hopes.

So it's ironic that the one time the board felt the need to control expectations, the team are blowing the rest of the field away on an avalanche of goals playing a brand of football that's a delight to watch.

It will be no surprise to hear manager Mick McCarthy continue to talk of not getting carried away, insisting his team aren't any better than anything else in the Championship.

In fairness, he has to for fear of writing the opposition's team talk for them. Now it's getting tougher and tougher for him to play this down.

Although we will probably never hear him say it publicly, privately he must be thrilled at the way Wolves have started the season.

Six successive wins sees them closing in on a club record eight from the promotion seasons of 1966-67 and 1988-89.

They are also one victory away from their best start since 1949-50, when they went on to win nine and draw three of their first 12 games.

After years of frustration, it's time for the entire Wolves family to stop being frightened and start enjoying it.

It took Wolves 21 League games to score 21 goals last season. This time they have managed it in seven and they have more points and more goals than any team in the country.

The 19 points they have amassed took them 12 games to reach in 2007-08, when they started their current unbeaten run of 11 League games.

These are heady times for Wolves and fans starved of success for too long should enjoy these moments as much as possible.

The games won't get any easier now they are becoming such a scalp. Yes there will be tough times ahead, when they struggle to score and lose key players.

Teams will suss them out and that's when they are going to have to show more nous to break sides down. They look to have the quality and strength in depth to cope.

After all, this season's surge has come with Jody Craddock and George Elokobi out injured long term.

Substitutes are making a real impact – witness Sam Vokes (two goals at Charlton), Dave Edwards (goals against Sheffield Wednesday and Ipswich) and Andy Keogh (helping to set up goals at Preston).

New signings Jason Shackell and George Friend, as well as forgotten fringe players such as Darren Ward, Mark Davies, Lewis Gobern, Darren Potter – not to mention Matt Murray – are still to start.

After displaying the grit to overcome Crystal Palace four days previously, Saturday's win saw a return to the power play that has devastated several teams already this season.

Like Ipswich and Charlton before them, Preston have Premier League aspirations and are long-time solid performers at home.

They had no answer to the pace, strength and attacking flair that saw Wolves open up a 3-0 lead before the late sendings off of Chris Iwelumo and Wayne Hennessey.

You could argue the visitors rode their luck when – just as he had done at Portman Road – Richard Stearman survived a handball and 'over the line' call from his goalline clearance from Neil Mellor with 10 minutes played.

You could also argue that the officials did their jobs and Stearman did his.

Wolves were well on top by the time Iwelumo broke the deadlock in the 35th minute, his overhead kick leaving keeper Andy Lonergan stunned as it bounced across him and into the far corner of the net after Dave Jones crossed.

Jones had taken the corner from which Neill Collins headed against bar seconds before, while Michael Kightly and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake had forced saves from the Preston keeper, who had been relieved to see a 30-yard piledriver from Stearman fly inches over.

Kevin Foley also had a goalbound drive palmed away ,as Wolves reached a head of steam after dominating most of the half until just before the interval.

That was when Preston had two efforts ruled out for offside. Justice was done as Hennessey was buffeted and should have won a free kick – both managers agreed he was fouled – before Mellor struck.

The flag went up early anyway for the second, when Neil Mellor bundled home after Hennessey deflected Jon Parkin's shot against the post.

The decisions sparked plenty of anger among the Preston ranks. In attempt to show support for referee Martin Atkinson, McCarthy was shown to the stands for applauding him as he went off at the break.

Both Kightly and Dave Jones wasted shooting chances before Iwelumo made it 2-0 in the 66th minute, stabbing home Kightly's cross after a superb break from substitute Keogh.

Iwelumo then had Lonergan at full stretch from a flying header.

The 30-year-old wasn't to be denied his second treble in professional football as he casually netted high to the keeper's left from the spot, after Billy Jones took out Kightly following another Keogh pass in the 72nd minute.

Three minutes later and with the game won, referee Atkinson sent off Iwelumo for his part in a head-to-head with Sean St Ledger despite both players alleging no contact had been made in an off-the-ball incident.

Atkinson still wasn't finished, as he brandished a red to Hennessey for bringing down Mellor when there appeared to be cover.

The former Liverpool striker scored a consolation from the spot, against sub Jason Shackell.

Now the focus switches back to Molineux, where Wolves face two more promotion contenders in Bristol City and Reading in the next eight days. Carl Ikeme will almost certainly be in goal on Saturday, when Iwelumo will be hoping his red card is rescinded.

Whatever team trots out, you get the feeling they will be in no mood to surrender this run.