It wasn’t pretty, but who cares?

The scenes at the final whistle told much more about what this meant to Wolves than the game itself.

Players embraced and others simply threw their gold shirts into the 5,325 Wolves fans in a show of unbridled triumph.

Of course, no-one will say it yet – even the fans won’t dare suggest it after the collapse in 2002 – but the message is clear: Wolves are going up and you better believe it.

Manager Mick McCarthy reckons they are still “a million miles away” from promotion, and his public caution is entirely understandable.

That pragmatic attitude has helped his team get this far.

His caution, respect to the opposition and mantra to take one game at a time has kept his players’ minds focused on the job.

But, in truth, they may only be about three or four weeks away from their prize at this rate.

With six games left, they are only two points off mathematical certainty of a top-six spot, while they are nine clear of the play-off places.

Saturday’s victory made it 13 points from the last 15 to underline how Wolves have returned to the boil at just the right time.

Such is the pace they’re setting again that long-time rivals for automatic promotion, Birmingham and Reading, are again struggling to keep up as draws for the other two testified at the weekend.

For Wolves, the games and performances they are now involved in are far removed from the swashbuckling, steamrollering displays of the autumn.

Games are too pressured and tight, the opposition is too geared to trying to stop McCarthy’s men for them to be able to sweep teams aside like they did with such ease during the early months of the campaign.

But, as winter has given way to spring, the same determination is helping to produce similar results.

They retain the powerful capacity to outscore teams, but their undoubted flair has been replaced by function as the side has been overcome by a steely emphasis on defending from the front.

It’s an intriguing feature of the development of this young team that after the disappointments of the last two seasons, the players have grasped the brutal qualities of what it takes to be successful in this horrible Championship.

As goalscorer Michael Kightly said afterwards, they have learned to win ugly. Never was that more in evidence than at the City Ground on Saturday.

Just like their 1-0 win at Hillsborough two weeks previously, they emerged from a pretty awful, drab scrap of a game to take the points.

Their 11th away win of the season and third successive 1-0 victory on their travels was founded more on sweat than style.

But make no mistake, Wolves are bloody difficult to play against.

Their ability to battle was there from the off, when recalled midfielder Karl Henry dumped James Perch on the seat of his pants with a thundering challenge.

But no one player was responsible for this fifth double of the campaign more than Jody Craddock.

Wolves’ oldest player continued his renaissance by winning all his headers or challenges all afternoon, while alongside him, the improving Christophe Berra was a near clone.

Their combined and considerable efforts saw Forest fail to muster a single worthwhile effort on goal throughout.

Arguably their most dangerous moment came when Berra was booked for hauling down Chris Cohen in full flight on the edge of the area, during Forest’s best spell immediately after the break.

Wolves were always the more likely scorers, but with the commanding Wes Morgan in similar stubborn form for Forest, this was an encounter where defences were on top.

Morgan had a long-running aerial battle with Chris Iwelumo – another of Wolves’ renaissance men – and in the end, both men cancelled each other out.

Strike partner Sylvan Ebanks-Blake was another matter, however, and the Championship’s 24-goal top scorer was a constant thorn in Forest’s side.

Ebanks-Blake forced the only save of the first half with a fierce, low drive from 22 yards in injury-time that debut loan keeper Iain Turner held at the second attempt after earlier firing a foot over with the outside of his right foot.

But the hot-shot, who will still be on England under-21s duty when he celebrates his 23rd birthday next Sunday, showed he is much more than a pure goalscorer by twice setting up Kightly, the first a delightful back heel to send the winger racing clean through.

Ebanks-Blake’s second assist came for the 76th minute winner.

Collecting Craddock’s pass in his stride, he turned into space to his right before squeezing in a low cross that was turned back into Kightly’s path by substitute Sam Vokes’s cushioned lay-off for a drilled, diagonal finish into the bottom corner of the net.

The crucial strike – Kightly’s eighth of the season and first in 25 games going back to November 8 – finally opened the game up. But as Forest looked to swarm forward, Wolves hit them on the break.

Ebanks-Blake had a point-blank effort hacked off the line by Kelvin Wilson after substitute Andy Keogh’s shot had been smothered, then the excellent Keogh was inches away with an audacious chip from fully 45 yards.

All Forest had to show for their efforts was a swerving shot from on-loan Birmingham man Gary McSheffrey that sailed narrowly over.

Wolves, however, weathered the storm, and well before the final whistle, the now familiar chant of “We shall not be moved” rang out from the packed visitors’ end.

They certainly don’t look like being removed from their long-established seat at the top of the Championship and, internationals apart, can now head for a well-deserved few days of rest before the next game, away to Blues two weeks today.

By then, they should have Marlon Harewood on board and Matt Jarvis back fit again.

For some, Wolves’ position has already set tongues wagging as to how they would fare in the Premier League and which players could cut it.

That makes good talk in the pub but that’s where it should stay. That’s for another day.

It’s going to continue to be tight, but the ideal of forget the quality, feel the points is a welcome one at this stage.

By Tim Nash