Wolves 3 Barnsley 1 - analysis and pictures

For Wolves fans still wondering what that strange, unfamiliar but warm feeling was last night, allow me to explain.

It's called a home win.

Click on the image on the right to see more pictures from the game

And Molineux's first three-pointer of 2012 was rightly celebrated because it came courtesy of a performance which has perked up all who may have been a little fretful about the uncertain future of a team which tumbled, broken and bewildered, from the Premier League a few months ago.

Something will be made at the fairly innocuous challenge provided by Barnsley but it was a Barnsley good enough to beat Middlesbrough at the weekend and this is the Championship Wolves fans remember only too well for its capacity to deliver unpleasant surprises.

So well done all – and especially the newcomers who continue to make their presence felt as new manager Stale Solbakken finds his feet in English football.

Although there were again impressive inputs from Slawomir Peszko, from the start, and Bjorn Sigurdarson, in a late cameo, pride of place was taken by the long-limbed Tongo Doumbia who is never going to fit into a Smart car but brought genuine drive and energy as he surged around midfield.

Dare I say it, Doumbia looks the player that Wolves thought they had when they signed Seyi Olofinjana following their previous demotion from the Premier League.

The Nigerian made some decent contributions without ever quite living up to his advance notices. His Malian successor, however, soon had the Molineux fans roaring their approval as he brought a tempo to Wolves' forward incursions which did much to unsettle Barnsley.

There was another new face on show, too, although the fella' playing at the heart of central defence bore a striking resemblance to last season's discredited captain Roger Johnson. This defender, however, was everything Johnson wasn't last season especially in the final 15 minutes after Wolves had allowed Barnsley to dent their 3-0 lead with a late strike from Tomas Cywka.

Johnson Mark II was never more effective – or animated – in ensuring Wolves did not allow an attack of the Molineux nerves to spoil a thoroughly satisfying evening which, for all the focus on the new men, was shifted into a position of authority by much more familiar names.

How fitting that, with Solbakken acknowledging he must blend his fresh ideas with some of the old strengths, one of his predecessor's favourites should set him on his way to his first win as manager after eight minutes.

Barnsley keeper David Gonzalez attempted a quick throw-out that was snaffled by the alert Stephen Ward. An exchange of passes with Sylvan Ebanks-Blake sent Ward racing clear to execute the best finish of the night via his trusted left foot.

Wolves really should have then put the game to bed before the break, working so many positions of opportunity during their best football of the night that perhaps we still saw the after-effects of their long sequence of win-less football as chances were wasted.

But no matter. After 61 minutes, some splendid work by Karl Henry and then Doyle played in Ebanks-Blake for a simple second quickly followed by a goal struck from the club's classic heritage – an authentic break down the right wing featuring Peszko and Ronald Zubar before the Pole's pinpoint cross was headed home by substitute David Edwards.

In a strange way, this was a victory which, perhaps, reminded us why Wolves were relegated – they are a darn good Championship team who never quite got themselves out of the Premier League foothills.

But it was gratifying to see them take care of second-tier opposition so comfortably. Whatever changes lay ahead, that must surely be a source of optimism.

By Martin Swain