Crystal Palace 0 Wolves 1
Wolves stopped the rot with a vital win after a late penalty at Selhurst Park. Wolves stopped the rot with a vital win after a late penalty at Selhurst Park. A deadlock of 74 minutes had ensued before Wolves winger Michael Kightly was impeded by home defender Clint Hill in the box. Sylvan Ebanks-Blake stepped up for his 22nd goal of the season. A timely win and just in the nick of time, with second-placed Reading ending a drought of their own to win at Sheffield Wednesday, Wolves' opponents on Saturday. See our photo gallery here and read the full story in today's Shropshire Star
On a night when brave hearts were needed in the freezing, storm-lashed surrounds of this uncompromising corner of south London, Mick McCarthy's side dug deep to stand tall.
Finally, a win, a clean sheet and a damn good display all combined to dispel the growing disenchantment that was threatening to strangle the life out of this exhausting promotion push.
Not even an anti-officials rant from Crystal Palace boss Neil Warnock that was as predictable as it was tiresome – it also included an inference that Michael Kightly cheated to win the match-turning penalty – could take the gloss off this Wolves win.
This was indeed a performance from which promotions are won, one of their most solid showings of the season.
And if, during the course of the 10 remaining games, they clinch their passage to the Premier League, they will remember evenings like last night as cornerstones on which the success was built.
The players knew it too; their hugs and clenched-fists salutes in front of the 1,421 Wolves fans afterwards told you they sensed the significance of their sweat-soaked deeds which took them five points clear for 24 hours at least before Birmingham host Bristol City tonight.
McCarthy watched the celebrations impassively from a distance, but his post-match comments of relief, pride and pleasure at the performance conveyed his satisfaction at the much-improved showing.
His verdict contrasted starkly against the unflattering "hopeless and dreadful" description of the nervy display of three days earlier, but he was as honest as he was right.
He too should take credit, for his gameplan was spot-on.
The Molineux chief boldly vowed to attack knowing anything less than victory could heap more criticism from a demanding and increasingly sceptical fanbase.
Knowing he needed a physical presence to help hold the ball up in near galeforce swirling winds and rain, McCarthy brought back Chris Iwelumo for Andy Keogh.
And it worked a treat as Wolves mixed and matched successfully a more direct approach with their normal "get it wide, swing it in" routine.
They have threatened to "run riot" as McCarthy described their early season destructions before in this slump: Cardiff for the first half hour, and before that for the first hour at Bristol City, when they had to battle through similar torrential conditions to last night.
But unlike Ashton Gate, where they surrendered a 2-0 lead to see three points turn to one, Wolves were "at it" for the entire 95 minutes.
Against an admittedly lacklustre Crystal Palace side treading water in mid-table, there was to be no late giveaways this time.
Once Sylvan Ebanks-Blake bravely and admirably put his recent penalty miss at Coventry behind him to net his 22nd goal of the season with an uncharacteristically sidefooted finish tucked inside Julian Speroni's left hand post from the spot, they were in no mood to relinquish their grip on proceedings.
Kightly was at the heart of most of Wolves' attacking and they were defending solidly, led by a towering performance at the back from Jody Craddock.
This was much more like the Wolves that thrilled the senses earlier this season.
Now, as Ebanks-Blake said afterwards, they must repeat it for 10 games.
By Tim Nash
