If Mick McCarthy thought the Stadium of Light was an unlucky ground before this game he certainly left it without a shred of doubt.

Yesterday’s game was the 20th the Wolves boss had been in charge of a Premier League team at Sunderland’s home, and for the 20th time he left without a win.

But there would probably be fewer times out of the 19 – when he was Sunderland manager – that his side was as unlucky as yesterday.

Two penalties against Wolves – the first of which was highly dubious – and crucially, one not given for the visitors with the score at 1-0 to Sunderland, as well as a deflected fifth goal, were the latest chapters of ill-luck for Wolves on Wearside, where they haven’t won in seven meetings going back to 1993.

OK, so the defending for Sunderland’s fourth goal – when Michael Turner somehow gained two yards on Christophe Berra to head home – was as an open invitation to score at this level. But there is no denying a cruel sense of injustice felt by Wolves at the final whistle.

Like the Manchester United Carling Cup tie, this was a missed opportunity.

When Kevin Doyle equalised to make it 2-2, 10 minutes after the break, Sunderland were nervy and rattled and there only seemed to be one winner – Wolves.

But just as the visitors began turning the screw, up popped Kenwyne Jones with a moment of pure quality to edge the hosts back in front and, within three minutes, it was 4-2 and no way back.

Even then, there was an element of good fortune in the hosts’ favour as Jones’s shot went through the legs of Michael Mancienne, although perhaps Wolves were their own worst enemies for allowing him the time to line up the effort.

But if the battling visitors appeared well beaten by the end, they could at least allow themselves the consolation of having played a full part in the match and having given big-spending Sunderland a major scare, prompting manager Steve Bruce to admit he “hadn’t enjoyed the game one bit.”

As McCarthy said, apart from 45 minutes at Manchester City, his team have played a full part in every game this season.

The galling part is they have deserved more than the seven points they have garnered so far. The worry is that, after this Saturday’s game against rock bottom Portsmouth, the fixtures look a lot tougher.

Manchester City apart, Wolves have so far played teams expected to be in mid-table or lower. After this weekend, it looks a little more daunting: Everton, Villa, Stoke, Arsenal and Chelsea.

After the Sunderland defeat, it makes the Pompey clash a must-win.

McCarthy admitted afterwards this weekend’s match is a “pressure game” and there’s no getting away from its potential importance.

Pompey might feel as aggrieved as Wolves after coming away with nothing against Everton on Saturday. But Wolves can at least take comfort from the fact fellow survival rivals Burnley, Birmingham, Hull and Stoke also lost.

In Wolves’ favour is they now have their strongest squad available.

Looking at the bench yesterday, it’s quite conceivable to see all six outfield players – Jody Craddock, Michael Kightly, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, Nenad Milijas, Kevin Foley and Stefan Maierhofer – all in the starting XI.

Encouragingly, Kightly looks ready to start a game after a typically enterprising 45 minutes at the Stadium of Light.

The winger can add the injection of tempo and devilment they so desperately need, and the visit of Pompey could be the ideal opportunity for him. Going forwards, Kevin Doyle is now starting to look like he’s made for this level after his second goal in as many games.

But with two holding midfielders in the middle, he and Andy Keogh are having to work extra hard at holding the ball up to wait for support and the addition of Kightly can only help matters.

Because, although Wolves enjoyed plenty of possession yesterday, they still look tentative going forwards at times, almost as if they respect the opposition too much. That was a pity because defensively, Sunderland looked ripe for the taking.

Doyle should have exploited that with just 51 seconds on the clock after he ran through only to finish weakly.

Sunderland carried more threat on the counter-attack and, after Darren Bent fired over with Wayne Hennessey out of position, the former Spurs man somewhat fortuitously won and scored the eighth minute penalty after he sprawled over Segundo Castillo when the Ecuadorian got a good foot on the ball.

Then came arguably the turning point of the game when Turner appeared to go through Doyle in the air as they challenged for Andy Keogh’s cross. If the offence had occurred anywhere else on the pitch, it surely would have warranted a free-kick.

But the referee waved play on and Wolves were left to rue even more misfortune deep into time added-on when Doyle’s twisting header fell a hair’s breadth wide of the post.

Worse was to follow when Sunderland won their second spot-kick for Berra’s clumsy challenge on Bent two minutes into the second half. The £10million striker incurred boss Bruce’s wrath by strangely allowing Kenwyne Jones to take the penalty. Luckily for him, the big man slotted the penalty to save a tongue-lashing.

Despite being 2-0 down, Wolves were never out of the game and it was no surprise when they pulled one back within three minutes, the ball cannoning in off John Mensah for an own goal after Berra’s cross had been parried by his former Hearts team-mate, keeper Craig Gordon.

Then, Kieran Richardson’s lofted backpass caused Gordon to handle, giving Wolves a free-kick on the edge of the six-yard box that eventually saw Doyle sweep home after Karl Henry’s shot was blocked.

Wolves’ stock was never higher in the game, but then came Jones’s second, and after Hennessey tipped Bent’s effort around the post, Turner’s free header put the game to bed. The fifth was harsh and this match was another to file under the ‘if only’ section.

It just wasn’t their day.

By Tim Nash