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Report and pictures of Wolves 1 Cardiff 0

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Wolves made it three wins out of three against recent Premier League opponents after a last-gasp own goal settled matters.

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McDonald's shot was sliced home by Mark Hudson's attempted clearance, which spun behind him and into the net to leave goalkeeper David Marshall helpless in the first minute of time added on at Molineux.

Just minutes earlier, goalkeeper Carl Ikeme made a superb save to keep out Kenwyne Jones's thunderous point-blank shot and the game appeared to be heading for a stalemate.

But Wolves could and should have been well ahead by half-time only for Bakary Sako – who hit the inside of the post from a corner – Rajiv van La Parra (twice), Lee Evans, Danny Batth and Matt Doherty to go close for the hosts.

Head coach Kenny Jackett named an unchanged line-up for the fourth successive Championship game, with the same bench as Wednesday's 1-0 win at Fulham.

That meant captain Sam Ricketts, Michael Jacobs and James Henry are still waiting for their first league starts of the season.

Cardiff surprisingly left three-goal top scorer Jones on the bench until half-time.

The Bluebirds kicked off but it wasn't long before Wolves were on the attack and they really should have been well ahead by the break instead of going in goalless.

Midweek match-winner Sako had the best and first chance when his superbly-struck inswinging corner hit the inside of the far post in the 13th minute before bouncing to safety.

Cardiff, and in particular left-back Fabio, struggled to cope with Van La Parra and the Dutch winger had him in a spin before seeing a shot blocked for a corner seven minutes later.

Cardiff's first opportunity came on 21 when Adam Le Fondre ran some 70 yards breaking from a Wolves corner before nutmegging a defender and rolling the ball wide as Wolves players struggled desperately to get back.

But Wolves who again dominated possession, hit back and Welshman Evans saw a first-time volley bounce wide when Dave Edwards failed to apply the final touch after keeper David Marshall was out of position when Cardiff failed to clear Sako's free kick.

Sako was next to try his luck and his goalbound shot was deflected over for another corner after a driving run from the right that took past three players on 28.

A minute later there was another chance for the hosts when Batth flashed a far-post header inches wide from Golbourne's corner.

Golbourne was the architect of the next big Wolves chance in the 38th minute.

But van La Parra, presented with a clear opening after rising highest from his inviting centre, could only head fractionally wide with Marshall rooted to the spot.

Wolves were almost made to pay for their missed chances in on the stroke of half-time when Sean Morrison slid in at the far post when Anthony Pilkington's corner had been flicked on but could only slice the ball wide.

Cardiff made a half-time substitution with the arrival of Kenwyne Jones for Nicky Maynard up front.

But the second half took a while to get going and it wasn't until the 55th minute that we saw another chance.

And it took a vital fingertip save from Carl Ikeme from Peter Whittingham's low first-time shot after the ball had been knocked down on the edge of the area.

Wolves remained in control of the game but found clear-cut chances elusive as the game reached the hour mark.

Good work by Nouha Dicko saw successive crosses by full-backs Golbourne then Doherty.

But it was becoming clear that Wolves needed an injection of fresh legs if they were to make further inroads in the game.

And they came in the shape of Michael Jacobs, who replaced the impressive Edwards in the 66th minute.

But it was McDonald who almost created a breakthrough in the 71st minute.

His superb pass found van La Parra in the clear but as he shaped to shoot, Fabio came in with a superb challenge to put him off.

The game petered out as it wore on, with neither side able to maintain their earlier tempo.

And there was a booking for Lee Evans, after catching Le Fondre, who then exacted his retribution with a similar challenge which went unpunished.

Jones almost snatched a winner for Cardiff in the 85th minute after Whittingham's cross dropped perfectly for him.

But Ikeme made a superb block from his thunderous effort from point-blank range.

Wolves punished the visitors in somewhat fortuitous style when McDonald's low cross was deflected home by Hudson's sliced clearance.