Wolves 2 Bristol City 0 - verdict
A cracking free kick from Michael Kightly and a magnificent overhead kick from Sylvan Ebanks-Blake gave Wolves their seventh win on the trot.
A cracking free kick from Michael Kightly and a magnificent overhead kick from Sylvan Ebanks-Blake gave Wolves their seventh win on the trot.
Mick McCarthy made the expected enforced changes with Ikeme replacing the suspended Hennessey and Keogh coming in for Iwelumo.
McCarthy's side started just as they had in previous gamesforcing three early corners, the last of which was met by a bullet header from Keogh flashing just wide.
The first effort on goal came from Jones in the fifth minute. Driving forward from midfield he produced a fine chip, which dropped just over the bar.
Wolves were snapping at the opposition at every opportunity and their determined approach was summed up when Stearman twice won the ball back, deep in Bristol territory, despite the attentions of two red shirts.
City won a free kick some 15 yards inside the Wolves half but Johnson's setpiece was headed clear, before Collins completed the clearance.
Wolves picked up possession again, with Jarvis taking on Skuse and the utility man was booked for bringing down the pacy winger.
Wolves made the most from the offence, taking the lead directly from the free kick after 17 minutes.
Kightly sized up the setpiece and swung in a sizzling free kick which sailed over Weale into the far corner of the net. The goal only served to crank up the pressure on Bristol City even more, as Wolves attempted to pound the visitors goal.
Both Stearman and Kightly had crosses blocked, before Jones saw a full-blooded volley from 25 yards blocked by a City defender.
Wolves were looking in menacing mood and Ebanks-Blake put Kightly through, only for the goal scorer to be crowded out, as his angled shot was blocked when he attempted to beat Weale at his far post.
City attempted to take the free kick - from 16 yards - quickly, but Foley cleverly stood over it as Wolves gathered every gold shirt behind the ball.
The ball was worked short to McIndoe, whose shot was charged down by Stearman in the wall.
The loose ball broke to McAllister some 25 yards out but his follow-up drive was comfortably held by Ikeme.
Ikeme was called into action again just after the half hour mark with a superb tip over, after Maynard beat Collins in the air to glance goalwards.
Jarvis then picked up the loose ball and ran some 50 yards before slipping in Kightly to his right but the goalscorer ballooned comfortably over.
Wolves were finding it difficult to break down a determined City rearguard and there was a let-off for Ikeme, when the keeper appeared to carry a harmless ball out of his area, his momentum looking as if it had carried him inches beyond the white line as he collected a wayward cross.
Luckily for Ikeme and Wolves, the referee wasn't close and the linesman was on the far side rather than the near and a audible hum went around the Molineux.
The visitors launched the first attack of the half with a raid down the left. In the scramble that ensued there was a hand ball by Adebola, while Ikeme was also clearly impeded as he attempted to make the punch.
The home side then missed a golden chance to make it 2-0 in the 53rd minute, when Ebanks-Blake forced a save from Weale.
Kightly got booked but was soon back in the good books two minutes later, when he started the move from which Wolves finally made it 2-0 in the 68th minutes.
The irrepressible winger picked up possession before finding Jarvis out wide. His teasing cross was headed out by Fontaine, but only as far as Jones near the penalty spot.
The midfielder headed on for Ebanks-Blake to produce a magnificent overhead kick, which flew across Weale and into the far bottom corner to seal a great win.
