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Wolves boss Mick McCarthy insists it will be business as usual at the weekend when QPR visit on Saturday – when a victory for his side would see them promoted.

McCarthy is desperate to keep away any premature triumphalism.

He began after kick-off, as he made an earlier-than-usual arrival at the post-match press conference.

Despite a hugely exciting comeback topped by a winner from Andy Keogh three minutes from time, McCarthy insisted his team’s performance had been below par.

He said: “We were very fortunate to win the game. But I’m also happy, pleased, relieved, delighted – all of those adjectives.

“I was disappointed with the performance but obviously happy with the result, which tends to mask everything else.

“That’s as poor as we’ve played for a very long time and we couldn’t do any worse, but do you know what? We had good frontmen who took their chances. It’s all about results at this stage of the season.

“I’m not bothered if we play rubbish as long as we win. We were bobbins today, except maybe for Keogh, Jarvo and the front lads. The game could have been out of sight for Derby, because they’d had all the chances.

“But it’s not always about free-flowing football – this was another way to win a game and we did it.

“It’s an ugly one but also a very important one.”

The second-half introductions of substitutes Kyel Reid, Marlon Harewood and Stephen Ward helped engineer the fightback after Wolves went 2-1 down.

McCarthy said: “The substitutions changed the game. I’m not sure if it was inspired or maybe win or bust, panic stations – last throw of the dice.

“But that’s why we’re where we are, because we’ve got good forward players in the squad.

“I know that even when they’re not playing well they’ve still got that sense of ‘up and at em’ and will keep going. There’s a real spirit and character which runs right through the squad.”

Despite Wolves now standing just three points from securing promotion, McCarthy is keen to ensure they remain as professional as ever for Saturday’s visit of QPR.

The manager added: “We want to win and so it’s business as usual as far as I’m concerned – and I’ll be the same until it’s mathematically certain.”

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