Express & Star

Wolves looking hot in opening friendly

Published
Last updated

Of course it was a pre-season friendly that explained why teams need pre-season friendlies.

more

But, 30 days away from the real stuff, Wolves are under way again and in a groove which became pleasingly familiar last season – leaving a good impression behind at some of the Football League's less-appointed venues.

An opening run-out of the pre-season schedule brought a comfortable 3-1 victory at Cheltenham Town fashioned by two separate XIs for each half which Kenny Jackett hopes is a signal of the increasing competition he wants to bring to 2014's League One champions.

Bakary Sako in action

Certainly, it was the second 45 minutes which held most interest to the 832 Wolves fans who gave up an evening made for barbecues to see what their team have got cooking for the new season.

In have come Tommy Rowe and Rajiv Van La Parra with former Peterborough captain Rowe instantly looking at ease in the new-look Wolves style Jackett developed last season. His neat, economical left-footed game promises to bring quality to Jackett's midfield options.

Van La Parra has been raising eyebrows in training and this was the first public viewing of his speedy wide game. But perhaps the best moment of the evening – other than a nice little morale booster for Leon Clarke – came in the first minute when Nouha Dicko made a strong challenge on Cheltenham captain Lee Vaughan and collapsed to the turf in genuine discomfort.

For a moment, it looked as if Wolves were off to the worse possible start especially as the absence of a like for like replacement for Dicko is the one weapon still missing from the armoury. Gingerly but thankfully, Dicko eased his way back into the game and completed his allotted 45 minutes. It was a reminder of the tightrope on which the fortunes of teams can lie.

As for the goals, Wolves started with a penalty on 35 minutes after Troy Brown was guilty of a needless trip on Michael Jacobs. Soft but the right call – and Bakary Sako fooled Trevor Carson by giving it the 'dink' down the middle as the keeper dived right.

Within a minute it was 2-0 as Sako reached the by-line and Dicko's presence of mind got him in position to touch the ball into the path of Dave Edwards. An assured finish followed.

Clarke's moment then came four minutes into the second half and was not without its symbolism. On his "second" debut for Wolves last season, he broke away from the half-way line but failed to finish cleanly, a prelude to a return to his first club which didn't go as he would have hoped.

Last night, a Identikit chance occurred – and he will hope the sure touch and composed finish with which it was executed is a sign of a happier time to come.

It was left to Cheltenham midfielder Matt Richards to claim the best goal of the night, however, when he curled a delicious free-kick over the wall and beyond Aaron McCarey on 61 minutes.

  • Wolves 3 Cheltenham Town 1 - match report

Attendance: 1,705 (832 Wolves).

Cheltenham: Carson; Howarth (Kotwicki 61), Braham-Barrett (Black 45), Taylor (Powell 75), Brown (Deaman 61), Elliott (Streete 72), Hall (Williams 72), Richards (Wallace 61), Harrison (Culley 61), Gornell (Dale 72), Vaughan (Hanks 75).

Wolves first half: Ikeme; Ricketts, Batth, Stearman, Golbourne; McDonald, Evans; Jacobs, Edwards, Sako; Dicko. Wolves second half: McCarey; Doherty, Ebanks-Landell, Hause, Foley; Price, Rowe; Henry, Clarke, Van La Parra; McAlinden.

Referee: Oliver Langford (West Midlands).