We’ve seen the style and the swagger – now we’ve seen the team get tough.

And boss Mick McCarthy was delighted with his players for fighting their way through arguably their most difficult challenge so far to record their fifth win in six games last night.

The 2-1 defeat of Crystal Palace at Molineux kept Wolves at the top of the pile in the Championship and had McCarthy declaring: “It’s hugely important to come through a game like this.”

The previous two Molineux Championship games of the season had seen free-scoring Wolves register 4-1 and 5-1 wins, and with Sylvan Ebanks-Blake striking one of Molineux’s quickest ever goals after just 19 seconds, the fans sat back for a repeat demonstration.

But Palace put up stern opposition before Andy Keogh’s second half winner earned the hosts a nervy 2-1 victory after Paul Ifill had brought Neil Warnock’s side level.

McCarthy warned both players ands fans that there will be many more league games of a similar nature ahead but was delighted the team’s character stood up to the test.

“It’s hugely important to come through a game like this,” said McCarthy. “You score a goal so early and there’s only 89 and a half minutes left!

“It’s almost become expected you’re going to score more goals, from the crowd and indeed from ourselves, but it’s just not going to happen.

“I thought we took the foot off the gas a little bit which sometimes happens, not on purpose but maybe subconsciously.

“An early goal like that can also galvanise the opposition, which it did, and I just felt we weren’t getting about the pitch and getting in their faces to stop them playing like we usually do.

“We changed things tactically but what was really pleasing was that we got our foot back on the pedal in the second half and managed to grind out what was a difficult game.

“I’m really pleased for Andy getting the goal and we could have put it beyond doubt with the chances we had but it wasn’t to be.

“But do you know what? That might turn out to be the best result we’ve had so far because it wasn’t pretty and it was so tough.

We can’t always play pretty football and sit there thinking everything is great – you need a bit of determination and spirit and I think we showed that.”

McCarthy refused to make anything of his team worrying crop of injuries which continued last night with Dave Jones hobbling off after 28 minutes.

“Dave had a back problem and we kept him on for five minutes hoping it would be okay,” said McCarthy. “I think that helped Palace get a grip because they got hold of the ball and Dave couldn’t get near any of them.

“But we have a first team player in Dave Edwards to come on and I thought he was outstanding.”

Warnock said: “I thought we regrouped well after that early goal. Okay, Wolves could have had three or four in the end but they were getting a bit anxious at 1-1 and the type of break they got for their winner is the sort of thing that happens when you’re top.”