Wolves 3 Albion 1

Wolves gave their survival hopes a massive shot in the arm with a comprehensive victory over arch rivals Albion in the Black Country derby.

Two goals from Steven Fletcher in between one from Adlene Guedioura lifted Mick McCarthy's side out of the relegation zone for the first time since February and a point clear of the safety line with two games left.

Peter Odemwingie's 54th minute penalty ensured there were a few nerves around Molineux and triggered a sustained period of attacking from the Baggies.

But, led by the inspirational Stephen Hunt on his recall to the side, Wolves hung on for only their second Black Country derby win under McCarthy.

After dominating the first-half during which Wolves highlighted Albion's weakness at defending setpieces by scoring twice from Hunt corners, things turned the Baggies' way after the break.

At 3-1 up, goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey made a stunning one-handed save from Simon Cox, before Jerome Thomas thundered a shot against the bar and Somen Tchoyi flashed an unmarked header inches over.

Both sides made two changes from last week.

The big news from the Wolves camp was the decision of Wolves boss McCarthy to drop Matt Jarvis.

The firm Player of the Year contender hasn't been at his best since winning his England cap in March but it was still a surprise to see him among the substitutes.

In came Stephen Hunt while the other change saw Guedioura recalled on the right side of midfield for Richard Stearman, with Kevin Foley dropping to right-back.

For Albion, Tchoyi came in for Carlos Vela - scorer of the Baggies' late equaliser at the Hawthorns in February - while former Wolves trialist Jerome Thomas replaced the suspended Paul Scharner, with James Morrison moving to centre midfield from wide left.

When the action got underway, Albion had the first sniff of goal in the fifth minute when Peter Odemwingie cut inside from the left but fired straight at Hennessey.

Wolves soon replied with an effort of their own, when Jamie O'Hara saw a drilled shot deflected wide.

But, after Tchoyi curled wide, Wolves began to seize control as their players showed their appetite for the survival fight.

O'Hara, showing much more like his early Wolves form, forced a superb one-handed save from goalkeeper Scott Carson at full stretch from 25 yards.

Seconds later in the 15th minute, Wolves took the lead with Fletcher's 10th goal of the season when he rammed home from close range at the far post, after Guediourqa had chested down Hunt's corner.

It was all Wolves and Guedioura was next to try his luck with a free kick that curled inches away from the angle.

But he got his angles right in the next attack on 28 minutes, volleying home from three yards out after Fletcher climbed above Nicky Shorey at the far post – courtesy of what looked like a little nudge - to head Hunt's corner back into the danger area.

Albion had barely had a sight of goal for the opening half an hour and Shorey curled well wide from a free-kick 25 yards out.

Wolves continued to pose a real threat from setpieces and George Elokobi was inches away when he glanced wide from O'Hara's free kick.

McCarthy's side should have increased their lead in the 38th minute when Fletcher headed wide from five yards out after Albion again struggled with a setpiece, this time from O'Hara's corner.

Albion's only threat of the first half came in injury time – and it was a let-off for Wolves.

Hennessey looked to have got a hand to Odemwingie's stinging angled drive after the Nigeria international beat Michael Mancienne and Elokobi but the referee awarded a goal kick.

Wolves started the second-half in the best possible way by racing into a 3-0 lead in the 47th minute.

Fletcher supplied a cool finish after drawing Carson in, with Abdoulaye Meite missing a routine ball down the middle from Kevin Foley.

Albion then had a purple patch to leave home fans chewing their fingernails.

Odemwingie notched his 15th goal of the season from the spot – his fifth in five games and sixth in seven – after Guedioura tripped Thomas.

That was the cue for a sustained period of Albion attacking as the visitors enjoyed their best spell of the game.

There was a brief respite as Guedioura's flick was hacked off the line by Shorey on 57 minutes, before Hennessey's reflexes saved a certain second Albion from Cox's volley on the hour.

Four minutes later, Thomas rattled the bar after Tchoyi brilliantly put him through one against one against Foley.

Tchoyi then missed a glorious chance to have made it 3-2, sending an unmarked header inches wide with 20 minutes to go.

Wolves weathered the storm however and Stephen Ward almost grabbed a fourth for the hosts after volleying the ball over a defender to leave himself clean through with only Carson to beat from an inviting angle.

There was five minutes of injury time but Wolves had little trouble in hanging on to their lead and emerge with the Black Country bragging rights.