Wolves' strike duo lead the way in 3-0 victory - analysis and pictures

Wolves' head coach has said all along 10 matches was the point after which he would reflect on the season so far.

And, after this latest victory, he must be more than happy with the hurdles cleared as they prepare for more pressing climbs.

Jackett again insisted his rebuilt side are a work in progress and they went into this game on the back of three-and-a-half lacklustre performances in four games.

But if they are what he says, then the finished article is going to be worth seeing.

Eight wins, 25 points and only six goals conceded with three successive wins is an impressive turnaround.

But if the statistics are more emphatic and convincing than the performances overall, then Saturday offered us a glimpse of the sort of display Jackett wants from his side.

With perhaps the exception of the showing against a poor Gillingham team walloped 4-0 at Molineux, this was the most complete, comfortable victory of the season.

And it was all achieved without Bakary Sako, who failed to make the trip because of illness after Wolves halted talks with Nottingham Forest over his transfer.

Whether he returns for tomorrow's Johnstone's Paint Trophy visit of Notts County or not, Wolves' performance on their first visit to the Weston Homes Community Stadium was strong enough to put Sako's absence firmly in the shade.

Like the other league game he missed after Wolves turned down Forest's advances, the team won away and scored three times.

Unlike the triumph at Port Vale though, Wolves had no grandstand finish to withstand; Leigh Griffiths's penalty opener after 20 minutes ensured the outcome was never in any doubt.

But just as each opposition is rallying to take them down a peg or two, so this new Wolves team are gelling more and growing in confidence by the week.

Jackett has continually stressed the importance of using his whole squad as the season wears on.

To underline Wolves' strength in depth, Dave Edwards and Lee Evans didn't even make the 18-man squad on a day when David Davis returned to the bench.

Evans tweeted his displeasure; perhaps understandable given the impatience and immaturity of youth, especially after his heavy involvement in the first few games.

But as Wolves proved they can win with two ball-players in central midfield for the second game in a row, Evans' time will come and he could have few complaints as two midfielders, James Henry and Jack Price, were two of the team's best players.

Determined to make an early impression, Henry was a livewire from the first whistle and it was refreshing at long last to see an authentic right winger playing in that role, the like of which hasn't been seen since Michael Kightly.

Henry was just about the man of the match but it was a closely-debated thing, with his partner-in-crime down the right Matt Doherty, the irrepressible Kevin Doyle and superb keeper Carl Ikeme the other serious contenders.

Whether it was down to the coincidence of Sako's absence and Henry's debut is unclear, but the emphasis of Wolves' attack shifted from the left to the right wing as all the goals came from that side.

Doherty continued his hugely impressive start to the season by winning the pivotal penalty that set Wolves on their way after a determined run that took him around on-loan Everton left-back Luke Garbutt, only to be upended by Matt Taylor.

The Ireland Under-21 international then made the run, spotted by Kevin McDonald's superb cushioned volleyed pass, inside the full-back to cross.

Griffiths got ahead of Magnus Okuonghae and made it 2-0 two minutes after the break for his seventh goal of the season and a real poacher's effort.

Then it was Henry's turn, turning into space and taking on Garbutt before delivering an inch-perfect centre for Doyle to run onto and tee himself up for a volleyed finish from near the penalty spot.

There are many factors behind Wolves' solid start but one of the most reassuring is their ability to take their chances.

This wasn't a vintage performance from Griffiths, for example, but his first goal came immediately after Colchester missed two fine chances to have taken the lead.

First Taylor glanced inches wide in the 17th minute after beating Scott Golbourne to Garbutt's free-kick, then Ikeme made a superb save to deny David Wright's 25-yarder before Jabo Ibehre's follow-up header flew straight at him.

As soon as Wolves were ahead, however, a gulf appeared between the sides.

There were further chances from the visitors, with the falling Doherty seeing a snapshot clawed away by keeper Sam Walker then former Colchester loanee Danny Batth glancing inches off target, both from Golbourne crosses.

We had to wait until after the break for Wolves to take further opportunities however, and they came so quickly that the game ended as a contest within 10 minutes of the restart, some still returning to their seats when Griffiths struck again.

There was still time for Ikeme to prove why he earns comparison with Matt Murray in the fans' chant.

First he made a superb block on clean-through Ibehre on 74 minutes, then he dived to his right to push away Freddie Sears' 85th-minute penalty the keeper conceded for blocking substitute Marcus Bean.

A third straight shutout made it 291 minutes since Wolves last conceded – Andy Butler's winner for Walsall – and Ikeme's hugely impressive form this season is another factor in the team's start.

The only disappointment for Wolves is they have to wait two weeks between league games for the chance to continue their momentum.

But right now, they look in the mood to scale more heights.