Wolves 2 Southend 1
Tuesday 24th August 2010, 10:30PM BST.
Richard Stearman’s winner ended a marathon Carling Cup second round tie for Wolves with virtually the last kick of extra-time.
Stearman – named captain of his hometown club for the first time – stabbed home a driven cross from Ronald Zubar with 121 minutes and 46 seconds on the clock to ensure Mick McCarthy’s side are in the hat for Saturday’s draw.
It meant Wolves could finally breathe a massive sigh of relief, after making hard work of a side lying 83 places below them in the football ladder.
It all looked to be a formality when Nenad Milijas put Wolves ahead with a 27th minute penalty, after debutant Sam Winnall was tripped by fellow debutant Bilel Mohsni.
But Southend had other ideas and can claim some justification for equalising 10 minutes before the end of normal time.
Captain Craig Easton, who played for Swindon against Wolves at the same stage last year, headed the Shrimpers level from Josh Simpson’s cross.
Both Wolves debutants Danny Batth and Winnall, as well as Ashley Hemmings making his first start, impressed enough to suggest they can be called upon again.
And there was some vital match practice for Zubar and David Edwards, making their first starts of the season.
But the newcomers couldn’t prevent a long night for McCarthy’s side, who couldn’t convert their territorial pressure into goals in a game they only just shaded on chances.
Indeed, it was the visitors through Easton who were first to threaten when he curled over from 25 yards after a well-worked free kick was worked short to him.
The Shrimpers continued to look lively and former Chelsea youngster Anthony Grant saw a fierce effort deflected over when it hit Edwards.
Wolves were experimental in attack and switched Hemmings from up front to wide left, swapping with Edwards midway through the first half.
Indirectly, the move paid dividends when Winnall scampered onto a mistake by another debutant, French-Tunisian defender Mohsni and then was tripped for the penalty converted confidently by Milijas.
Wolves lived dangerously when Mohsni should really have scored instead of powering a bullet header wide, when unmarked from Peter Gilbert’s free kick.
Mohsni’s luckless debut continued when he headed home Sofiene Zaaboub’s free kick only to be flagged offside.
Despite Southend enjoying more half chances, Wolves never really looked in any danger and Simpson saw a rising drive flash inches over just before half-time.
In time added on, Wolves went close to extending their lead in bizarre fashion when Zubar’s wayward clearance had keeper Glenn Morris scampering back only for the ball to sail wide.
The second half was a much livelier affair, but it was Southend who again threatened first when Barry Corr’s fierce left foot angled drive required a falling save from Wayne Hennessey after turning Stearman.
But Wolves went on to dominate the rest of the game.
Winnall saw an angled drive from 25 yards deflected wide before Mohsni’s night improved when his tackle foiled the clean-through Adlene Guedioura with only Morris to beat.
Then Winnall almost capped an impressive debut with what have been a superb goal on 61 minutes.
The young striker volleyed just wide from Hemmings’ cross at the end of a flowing move that started with Hennessey’s throw out to Greg Halford, who surged through the middle before finding Hemmings to his right.
Zubar saw an angled effort smothered by Morris but Southend weren’t done and manager Paul Sturrock’s son Blair rattled the bar on 65 with Hennessey getting a faint touch.
Despite the arrival of big guns Kevin Doyle and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, Southend equalised with a moment of quality with 10 minutes left.
Simpson’s inviting cross from the right was met by Easton, who outjumped Edwards downwards past Hennessey.
Within two minutes Ebanks-Blake saw the first of two efforts disallowed for offside when he stabbed home from Zubar’s cross-shot.
But still Southend could have snatched victory when Louie Soares could only poke straight at Hennessey in the third minute of time added on at the end of 90 minutes.
Ebanks-Blake’s second effort ruled out came in the 97th minute, when he tapped home after Nenad Milijas’ shot deflected off Chris Barker and hit the post, after the striker had turned on Zubar’s centre.
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Charlie Nicholas will probably have something to say about it.
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Who cares what Charlie Nicholas thinks, Wolves are in the hat, Not him. Can’t understand what he is saying anyway!!
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good to see we are experimenting with new types of play and young players.
bath looked like a good prospect tonight and winnal was good too, so they will be nice additions to the squad.
plus ebanks blake and milijas scoring can only be good thing, shame the eb goal was disallowed.
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the wolves youngsters played very well, watch out for the name sam winnall a star in the making
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Plenty for the moaners, but I thought Winnall and Batth did well, Zubes was fantastic and we are through.
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Sounds like we made hard work of this. Need to go into Saturday’s game against Newcastle with a world wide different approach after what they did against Villa! Having said that, in Mick we trust! COME ON YOU WOLVES!!
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Took my daughter to her first game last night, she really enjoyed it and wants to see more.
i thought Danny Batth was our best player on the pitch, solid for 90 mins, looked a bit tired in extra time but at least he lasted the distance. Albion in the next round at home for me please !!
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Am I the only person who would have preferred Southend to nick it? I mean, after all, it’s a reasonable run-out for the young and the recuperating, but really, this tournament is about as useful to our efforts to stay up as the proverbial chocolate teapot.
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Absolutely abject!!!!
Only Batth looked anything like. The rest were hopeless and clueless from the start. God help us if any of them have to play in games in the Prem!!
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Thought Hennessy was at fault for their equaliser. He should dominate his area more and come for more crosses like that.
I think we should give Ikeme a chance in the next fizzybeer cup game
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A selection of some big names from our second string/recovering players but throwing them together when they have never played with each other as an 11 before was a bad move. The midfield was poor or non existence at times which lead to a very dull game.
I can understand resting Craddock and our big name strikers to avoid injuries but I think We should have started with Henry and Berra just to keep the defence and midfield together a bit more with some familiar faces.
It was clear Mick wanted to win but didn’t want to sacrifice as good result next week to get it. Otherwise he wouldn’t have put SEB and Doyle on to wrap it up. Negatives aside were through now and didn’t get any injuries as a result. £10 a ticket and 10 points on my supporter number. Not all is lost
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well worth while, run out for some of the young players, minutes on the pitch for hennessy, doyle edwards zubar, foley,stearman,and through to the next round, what more do you want,and anyone that thinks the players dont care about the carling cup should of noted henessy run 100 yards to celebrate the goal with stearman
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Can someone please tell a true and factual account of last night’s game.
Has again we have a mixed bag.
Reading the report it is clear the team 83places below us were at the least equal.
This should not be the case even if we changed the team.As most of these players play together in the reserves or first team.
We should not be looking disjointed in any game irrespective of the side playing.
It seems HENNESSY as not improved on his constant FLAPPYNESS this is why IKEME as to be shown the same beleif in him as he shows in henn.MICKO you need to become a little FAIRER
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This display would have been so much better if 1 or 2 of our so called fringe players had some desire. Milyas always made reverse passes, never had the bottle to take on players. Everything seemed to go back to George, whose creative limitations were frequently exposed. Foley was the only one who seemed to have class. Guedora for all his passion as things stand is only an impact sub. For once MM’s 1st team selections esp. as regards Ward make sense. The importance of Jones to us cannot be underestimated. Beyond the 1st 11 there isn’t much.
At least the many youngsters who attended had something to cheer on the way home.
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I did not go last night but listened to radio commentary. I gather the three youngsters looked good and there is a chance that at some stage this season, one of them could make the bench.Zubar and Edwards were making their comeback and I gather Elokobi was decent. The others though should be putting in a performance in order to try and get in the first team. After an excellent cameo on Saturday, Guedioura was apparently below average and Hennessey was once again not dominant off his line.
Still we are through and once again for the people who write off this competition, we have a 25 squad plus youngsters so in the early rounds we should have a second string capable of progressing and I for one would like to see us get a big team or a derby and let’s try and win something!
Keogh is on his way on loan and Mancienne could be doing likewise but we do look a bit threadbare up front – unless Vokes and the youngsters are in the frame?
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Abject and abyssmal. Seemed like a group of strangers out for an evening stroll in the park for most of the game.Where was the get in the face attitude and the effort needed to dominate a side from a lower division.Totally missing.
Edwards, Milijas,Guedioura, Elokobi and Stearman were way off the pace at times and too often caught in posession. Halford contributed very little other than the long throw – which didn’t come off once. Is he really a player with thepremier league quality to warrant a place in the 25 man squad?
Hennessey, for such a tall chap, still doesn’t dominate his area as he should. He’s not been the same player since Bobby Mimms left.What’s the Goalkeeping coach doing to sort him out?
Only Zubar, Baath, Winnall and Hemmings of the starting eleven came out with any credit.
Come on Mick! Stop tinkering,sort it out for Saturday and put out a team with the ability and the mindset to beat the loony toons.
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PeteNuts – I personally believe a good run in the cup competitions could be fantastic for us. It could help our confidence, and bring in a tiny bit extra revenue. But the main thing, would be to give some fo the fringe and younger players a chance to prove themselves and stay sharp.
We have a 25 man squad, and not all of those players are going to play every week in the prem, so it could be good if players like Milijas, and Hennessy get a chance to prove themselves and push their way back into contention in the premier league.
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Poor show, big guns brought on with no effect on the scoreline. no strength in depth, no fire power. Keogh you will be sorely missed.
JtH.
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PeteNuts i agree with you m8 its just a run out for the reserves or should be anyway,the leagues the main priority for us,its wolves bread and butter, we have to stay in the prem for the club to progress even further and anything else after that is a bonus,,,WE ARE WOLVES,,,ilk
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JACK the HAT,its a sign your team won a league match aye,an ya scraped through the cup tesco’s should have been a couple down before you scored its a long hard season so dont get to cocky or you might just regret all the sarcastic comments you put on here,,,WE ARE WOLVES,,,ilk
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18) I will go on record to say – unlike you and the vile – we will not be thrashed 6-0 this season. The reason why is that we have a solid, experienced keeper, an old head centre half who gets better and better and one of the best defensive midfielders in the Premiership – Karl Henry – and things get even better, as we have just signed cover in Mancienne. When you have a forward as good as Doyle or Fletcher come back on here.
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(20)
W,
Wait untill ALBION win another one, then I can
realy take off. Only joking, but the truth hurts sometimes, but don’t get too despondent,
there’s a long way to go yet. JtH.
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