Wolves' defensive duo play from the back

They are the defensive double act that has quietly kept Wolves on the rails of the play-off race.

But relieved boss Kenny Jackett is prepared to shout the thoroughbreds' importance from the rooftops after their recent scrapes.

Rock-solid pair Danny Batth and Richard Stearman have helped to keep back-to-back clean sheets in the last two games against Sheffield Wednesday and Derby.

The partnership between ever-present captain Batth and in-form Stearman looked like it could have been broken up in the last two games.

Stearman went down worryingly against the Owls and had to be stretchered off with a numb leg.

Then Batth escaped any punishment apart from conceding a free-kick after bringing down striker Darren Bent against Derby, when Tom Ince's follow-up effort was disallowed.

Events in both matches could have easily removed one or both centre-back from Wolves' promotion equation.

But, thankfully, Stearman has had no further reaction from the neural problem that floored him and both are fit and ready to start preparations for Wolves' return to action at Nottingham Forest a week today.

"Batth and Stearman have done really well as a pair and have been very difficult to score against," said head coach Jackett.

"I've been looking at the run of games with the clean sheets we've had and taking 20 points from the last 10 games, and the two centre-halves have defended very well and played a big part.

"I'm pleased Stearman is OK because he'd be a big loss the way he's playing at the moment and we put on a really good defensive performance last Friday night.

"I'm really pleased with them. Stearman made a good recovery and we needed him. They make blocks, they defend with everything they have got, and it's hard to get past them."

Batth appeared to be lucky to escape a yellow card or worse for the challenge on Bent, although there is a feeling in the Wolves camp that the on-loan Villa striker made a meal of the challenge.

Jackett admitted they got lucky, adding: "It looked like we were going to be 1-0 down and the referee pulled it back.

"Danny's performances have been fantastic and they are a good partnership."

Jackett needs his first-choice defensive duo fit for the remaining seven games as they bid to make up the two-point gap for the top six.

But his priority is also trying to ensure the squad stay on their toes during the two-week break between games.

He said: "It's a bit of a break for us before we can re-focus on the Nottingham Forest game and then Leeds.

"You have to make sure you don't lose any momentum during the international break, go to the City Ground and do well.

"It's an exciting period because we're still in there and the gap has slowly closed. It was five points for a little while, then four, then three and now it's down to two.

"We'd love to be in the top six; we're eighth but it still looks poised for many clubs and we're one of them.

"We've taken 20 points from the last 10 games so it's a really good run which has kept us in touch."

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