Sucker punch sinks Wolves
Wolves 0 v Wigan Athletic 1
It is just over two weeks since Wolves went to Anfield in the FA Cup and outplayed Liverpool to record a deserved victory. Since when three games have been lost, two against sides who are languishing beneath them. Tonight’s defeat to Wigan was particularly worrying for other than a couple of opportunities part way through the second half, Wolves created nothing. The football they are playing lacks pace and fluidity often hampered by youngsters seemingly intent on showing off by taking too many touches. Even the basics of throw ins are invariably beyond them. Unless Paul Lambert can turn things around, a relegation scrap beckons.
As for the game it was rank. Both sides were poor though Wolves should have taken the lead in the sixty third minute following a good move which ended with Bright Enobakhare’s cross cum shot evading everyone. Ten minutes later David Edwards’ goal bound header was well saved by Matt Giles. But the longer the game remained level the more you felt the visitors might nick it and those pessimistic thoughts were realised when in the 87th minute Richard Stearman opted to clear the ball for a corner when he had more than enough time to pass it back to his keeper. Somewhat inevitably the ensuing cross found Jake Buxton free on the edge of the six yard box from where he headed home unchallenged. Sucker punch duly administered.
It is more than twenty years since Sir Jack Hayward put a hand in a very deep pocket and started bank rolling the Wolves. In the subsequent years countless are the millions that have been spent yet in the column marked success, there is a big black hole.
Chelsea must be quivering.
Wolves: Ikeme 6, Marshall 5 Sub Coady, Batth 6, Stearman 5, Doherty 6, Costa 6, Edwards 5, Evans 5 Sub Gibbs White, Enobakhare 5 Sub Weirman, Bodvarsson 5, Ronan 7
Wigan Athletic: Giles 7, Connolly 6, Burn 7, Buxton 6, Warnock 6, Power 5, MacDonald 6, Morsy 5, Jacobs 5 Sub Hanson, Grigg 6 Sub Obertan, Bogle 6
Attendance: 17,156
Referee: Simon Hooper 7
©Mark Brennand