Wolves Back To Winning Ways - Match Report

Olofinjana
By Scott Cooper
September 23 2006

WOLVES were back to winning ways on Saturday afternoon following a comfortable 2-0 win over Stoke City at Molineux. A goal either side of the break from Leon Clarke and Seyi Olofinjana was enough to move Wolves into sixth place - joint second.

Mick McCarthy was understandably delighted after the game following his sides comfortable 2-0 win over Stoke City at a sunkissed Molineux. It was important for Wolves to get back to winning ways following two defeats on the bounce against Derby County and Barnsley.

McCarthy opted to change the side around a little following last weeks poor performance at Oakwell. Charlie Mulgrew made his second start since his move from Celtic and replaced Little at left back. Karl Henry returned in midfield against his former side and potter started on the right. Leon Clarke was given his second start of the season following a bright second half last week and it was he who opened the scoring.

Clarke muscled past three City players to the right of the Southbank goal and hit a crisp left footed drive across Simonsen and into the net. It was Clarke's first senior goal of the season and his 21st minute strike was the start of a comfortable afternoon for McCarthys men.

Stoke had previously started the brighter without creating any decent chances but Wolves dominated with ease following Clarke's strike. The lively Jemal Johnson bought the best out of Simonsen from close range mid-way through the first half and a Karl Henry header was well blocked by Duberry towards the end of the half.

It was a decent first half for Wolves and the second was exactly the same. Wolves pressured Stoke into making mistakes when they had possession and with the superb Olofinjana in midfield it was Wolves who were bossing the game.

Ricketts had a decent effort just wide early in the second half before Wolves put the game beyond stoke. A cleverly worked corner found an unmarked Olofinjana six yards out and the Nigerian international made no mistake and nodded Wolves 2 goals to the good.

Matt Murray was again immense in goal and was rarely tested with only long range weak efforts fired at him. McCarthy replaced Clarke with Craig Davies late on and the on-loan Verona man should have scored but blazed over whilst in a terrific position.

The last change of the game saw Lewis Gobern replace Jemal Johnson and the youngster nearly scored a beauty but his 20 yard curler curled the wrong way of the Stoke goal.

"We worked hard all week to make sure we didn't get out-battled like we did in the first half at Barnsley," Said Wolves boss Mick McCarthy after the game.

  "Hard work is a big part of being successful in this league and, although we didn't have the best start, once we got to grips with it we played well and should have gone in more than one up at half-time.

  "There were some good individual and all-round performances and I was pleased to see us get more than one goal."

Wolves travel to top of the table Cardiff City next week in a bid to consolidate a play-off place.