Wolves 2 Derby 0 - Report and pictures
Wolves are only out of the Championship play-off places on goal difference tonight after a 2-0 win at home to fellow promotion chasers Derby County.
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Nouha Dicko's sweet strike and goalkeeper Lee Grant's comical own goal saw Kenny Jackett's side home in a keenly-contested affair, writes Craig Birch.
Molineux's second highest gate of the season - 27,480 - were in attendance as the nation watched on Sky Sports. Ticket prices had been slashed for the fixture.
Wolves signed off for the international break in style and left the onus on the five teams in the top six playing tomorrow, before they return to action at Nottingham Forest on Good Friday.
The teams went at each other with gusto in the early exchanges, but it was Derby who could have been ahead before Wolves really threatened.
They were keen to hit the hosts on the break and nearly did just that in the 16th minute, when Craig Forsyth's low cross skidded across the box but a sliding Darren Bent couldn't connect.
Derby dangerman Thomas Ince then rattled the woodwork in the 25th minute haring down on goal, his looping effort bouncing off the crossbar.
But, just when the visitors were starting to take command, Grant had to come to the rescue in the 26th minute.
Dicko pinged in a cross from the right which strike partner Benik Afobe managed to latch onto, but Grant intervened to save with his legs.
Afobe and Dicko both fired wide soon after his did Ince, who then forced a strong save from goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak as the England Under-21 international shone.
Wolves could arguably have been down to 10 men five minutes before half-time in a real let off for Danny Batth.
He pulled down Bent just outside the box and, as the last man, that could have well been it for the home skipper. Referee Keith Stroud didn't even book him, despite giving a free kick.
Goals: Dicko 48, Grant (og) 69.
Wolves (4-4-2): Kuszczak, Doherty, Batth, Stearman, Golbourne; Henry (van La Parra 67), Price, McDonald, Sako, Afobe (Doyle 90), Dicko (Edwards 65).
Substitutes not used: McCarey (GK), Ebanks-Landell, Hause, Iorfa.
Derby County (4-3-3): Grant, Christie, Keogh, Albentosa, Forsyth; Hughes, Ince, Bryson, Russell (Hawkins 70), Bent, Lingard.
Substitutes not used: Roos (GK), Ward, Hanson, Thomas, Shotton, Warnock.
Referee: Keith Stroud (Dorset)
Attendance: 27, 480 (2,576 Derby fans).[/breakout]
Both sides went in deadlocked with it all to play for after the break, with the tempo upped at the restart and to Wolves' advantage.
They were suddenly battering the Rams and just three minutes of the second-half had elapsed when they got their noses in front through Dicko.
Another pass from Kevin McDonald was picked beautifully as he sprayed the ball diagonally to the left hand edge of the box, where Dicko was advancing.
The striker jinked his way in, drawing Grant and then the defenders before slotting the ball into the far corner, giving Wolves the advantage they needed.
Derby tried in vain for a swift response with Jesse Lingard drawing the hands of Kuszczak with a shot from outside the box on 54, a flailing Richard Stearman then hacking the ball away.
It could and perhaps should have 2-0 in the 57th minute, as another choice delivery from that man McDonald left Afobe tussling with Forsyth to break free.
The full-back was riding on the forward's coat-tails by the time he got into the box and his shot flew over Grant, but proved too high as it the crossbar and bounced over.
Then came the killer goal from a Rams perspective in the 69th minute, as Wolves were all but handed the three points as the away side imploded.
It wasn't far substitute Rajiv van La Parra's first touch as he burst through on Derby's right hand side, before lifting a speculative ball into the box.
First Forsyth made a hash of a clearance that dropped right on his foot as it looped over him, before Grant spilled a routine catch completely for the ball to inexplicably drop into the net.
There was no stopping Wolves after that gift as they shut up shop and invited pressure, which Steve McLaren's shell-shocked side could no longer provide.
Instead, it was Wolves who could have made the result more emphatic at the death. Bakary Sako worked himself into a good position only to fire over in stoppage time.
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