Wolves back on track

Wolves 3 v Reading 0

It is nineteen months since Reading last stepped out onto the Molineux turf. For Wolverhampton Wanderers all was in flux. The owner had gone. The CEO had gone. The manager had gone. Chinese owners Fosun were now in charge aided by the super agent Jorge Mendes. But whilst the chairs on the deck had been moved they were not necessarily facing the sunshine, as a season of disappointment ensued. It’s been a lot better since but with Wolves somewhat stuttering since the turn of the year, the climb to the Premier League is proving a harder ascent than was envisaged back in the heady days of November. After the heavy weekend defeat to local rivals Aston Villa, struggling Reading offered an opportunity to get things back on track.

And as opportunities go it was one which Wolves grabbed with both hands dominating possession from the off, the only surprise being that it took them forty minutes to break the deadlock. That said Reading spent most of their time with ten men behind the ball as a consequence rarely ventured beyond the half way line. John Ruddy could have handed in his notice for all that he was required to do. That aside the goal, when it arrived, was a delight Barry Douglas heading a right wing cross back across the goalmouth where Matt Doherty was on hand to nod home.

It would be another seventeen minutes before Wolves added to their tally the second goal owing much to the combined skills of Bruno Neves and Helda Costa the first with a brilliant raking pass the second with a lovely cut inside before feeding Benick Afobe to side foot into a vacant net. Indeed the goals improved with the passage of time the third and last another superb move which started with an Ivan Cavaleiro / Neves one two before Cavaleiro found Doherty who finished off with aplomb and in so doing finished off Reading. This was Wolves back at their November best and with Aston Villa losing at home to Queens Park Rangers the gap to third place has once again been extended to ten points. Matters are very much back on track.

Wolves: Ruddy 6, Bennett 7, Coady 7, Bolly 7, Doherty 9, Douglas 7, Neves 9, Saiss 6 Sub N’Diaye, Costa 7, Afobe 7 Sub Bonatini, Jota 6 Sub Cavaleiro 7

Reading: Jaakkola 6, Gunter 6, Ilori 6, Moore 6, Blackett 6, Edwards 6, Evans 6 Sub Bacuna, Clement 6, Aluko 6, Bodvarsson 6 Sub Smith, Barrow 6

Attendance: 27, 341

Referee: Robert Jones 8

©Mark Brennand