Express & Star

Report and pictures of Wolves 1 Norwich 0

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Wolves returned to the Championship on a winning note after Dave Edwards' second-half header gave them victory over Norwich City.

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Edwards' goal, converting a cross from the excellent Rajiv van La Parra, settled matters at Molineux in front of the Sky Sports cameras.

It was the second effort on target as both teams jostled for position, goalkeeper Carl Ikeme saving Wolves' bacon 10 minutes earlier with a fine save from Lewis Grabban.

John Ruddy's goal kick flew down field, with Grabban latching on to it near the byline. His shot was trickling in, but Ikeme stuck his hand out to push the ball wide.

The game turned on Martin Olsson's red card bang on the hour, the Norwich left-back rightly dismissed for a second bookable offence.

He had already been booked for clattering van La Parra in the first-half when he shoved him to the floor again, leaving referee Simon Hooper with no other option.

Bakary Sako looked to punish them immediately with the free-kick, but Ruddy was down to his right to save at his post. The Canaries shot-stopper was beaten just four minutes later, though.

Van La Parra again broke free on the right wing and his ball floated into the box, where Edwards rose highest to head across Ruddy and into the far corner.

Norwich tried their luck from distance in search of an equaliser, ex-Wolves midfielder Elliott Bennett attempting to lob Ikeme with a dipping effort that the home custodian had to watch over the bar.

Ikeme was called into action again in the 78th minute, substitute Kyle Lafferty sliding the ball into Grabban, who had no time to react as the shot-stopper claimed at his feet.

Wolves nearly got a second goal that would have killed off the game a minute later, when the pacy van La Parra left Javier Garrido for dead on the right and hared down on goal.

He drew the attention of centre-backs Russell Martin and Michael Turner as he decided to square to Nouha Dicko, whose heavy first touch nearly saw the ball run away from him.

He did manage to get a shot on goal, but Ruddy parried away to safety. It didn't matter, in the end, as Wolves hung on for an excellent result from their curtain raiser.