Sieve plugged

Wolves 2 v Middlesbrough 0

Saturday’s defensive frailties, when three goals were shipped in the final third of the game to give Millwall a point, will have focused minds. Richard Stearman and Scott Golbourne were the casualties as Manager Jackett sought to shore up the defence by bringing in Ethan Ebanks-Landell at centre back and moving midfielder George Rowe to left back.

On paper it worked. But at times, particularly during the last fifteen minutes of the first half, the Wolves’ defence looked less than assured having to rely on keeper Carl Ikeme to deny the visitors a deserved opening. By this time Wolves were one to the good, Bakary Sako’s impudent penalty giving them the lead on the half hour following a foul on Nouha Dicko. But, bar that single effort, Wolves had struggled to mount any real threat during a half somewhat hampered by the fag end of Hurricane Gonzales.

Thankfully the home side’s second half performance was far more assured, Kevin MacDonald going close with two long range efforts and James Henry offering a more potent threat down the right. It was the latter’s cross on 56 minutes which created an opening for David Edwards who somewhat remarkably headed down into the ground and then onto the bar from where it was scrambled to safety. Ten minutes later Dicko made something from nothing when he collected the ball in the Middlesbrough box albeit surrounded by three red shirted defenders. Ever lively he managed to slip free of his markers before firing the ball emphatically into the roof of the net for the most unlikely of goals.

Thereafter Middlesbrough struggled to find the fluidity that had characterised their first half play, allowing Wolves to run out comfortable victors. The result puts the Old Gold back amongst the play-off places. At this stage in the season it’s the best place to be.

Wolves: Ikeme 8, Doherty 6, Ebanks Landell 6, Batth 6, Rowe 5, Henry 7, MacDonald 7, Evans 6, Sako 7 Sub Jacobs, Edwards 6, Dicko 7 Sub Clarke

Middlesbrough: Konstantopoulos 6, Fredericks 6, Ayala 6, Omerno 6, Friend 7, Adonah 7, Whitehead 6, Leadbitter 7, Reach 6 Sub Tomlin, Vossen 6 Sub Wildschut, Bamford 6 Sub Garcia Matinez

Attendance: 18,391

Referee: Carl Berry 8

MB