Brighton 0 Wolves 1 - Report and pictures
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This is getting a bit silly now. Just 11 days ago disheveled Wolves were hammered 4-1 at Hillsborough.more
They couldn't defend for toffee, morale was on the floor, Kenny Jackett, under real pressure for his job, talked explicitly of needing 'help'.
Three games, three wins and three clean sheets later, Wolves' season may have been transformed.
Again the recipe here was a solid, frills-free 4-5-1, again Wolves spent long periods on the back foot, again Jordan Graham provided an assist, and again they were triumphant.
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Credit to Jackett who, with the same group of players that couldn't buy a win a couple of weeks ago, has gone back to basics to grind out three priceless victories,
For the first time this season he named the same XI for the third game running, despite this being Wolves' third match in six days.
Jack Price returned from illness to take his place on the bench, with Sheyi Ojo dropping out of the squad.
Brighton had gone winless in five, their worst run of the campaign, and began the match like a side intent on ending that streak.
Wolves' back four, so resolute since that horror show at Sheffield Wednesday 10 days ago, was put under severe pressure in the early stages, but held firm.
Manchester United loan striker James Wilson, a player openly courted by Wolves, appeared to vomit on the pitch before kick off, but that didn't stop him troubling the Wolves defence.
Ethan Ebanks-Landell tracked Wilson to get in a goal-saving tackle just five minutes in, and then three minutes later the same defender blocked Wilson's shot as he tried to make room outside the box.
Brighton pummeled the Wolves box with several crosses, and then Bobby Zamora flashed the ball across goal.
With 12 minutes gone there was respite in the form of a quick counter attack - Dominic Iorfa intercepted the ball and played to James Henry who slipped in Benik Afobe, whose shot was blocked by David Stockdale.
Back came Brighton and this time they forced Carl Ikeme into action, with Wilson's spanked 20-yard volley tipped over the bar at full stretch by the airborne keeper.
Wolves then began to get a foothold in the game, Conor Coady and Kevin McDonald enjoying more possession in midfield.
Iorfa then got in behind down the right and David Stockdale came unnecessarily rushing from his goal, but with three in the box Iorfa couldn't chip it over the diving keeper.
Graham had been kept quiet for the first half an hour, barely touching the ball.
But on 32 minutes he came to life - and Wolves were in front. The 20-year-old beat his man and sent a left-footed cross to the near post, where Wolverhampton-born Connor Goldson deflected past his own keeper.
It was Graham's seventh assist in his first nine Wolves appearance. And a horrible moment for Goldson, who was with Wolves as a young youth player.
Wolves looked to keep things tight but injury-hit Brighton, deprived of half their first team through injury, were powder puff in attack.
And it was Jackett's team who came closest to doubling the lead, with Henry's shot from the right blocked by Stockdale.
Brighton captain Bruno was perhaps lucky to escape with just a yellow after a strong, high foul on Graham.
But there was little other action to speak of as the half ended with Wolves in front.
As expected Brighton, who until just a couple of weeks ago had been unbeaten all season, came out of the traps at the start of the second half.
Wilson skipped past Doherty and drove low at Ikeme, before centre half Lewis Dunk crashed a half volley over the bar from a great position in the box.
And then Jamie Murphy fired over from the edge of the area, with Wolves very much in survival mode camped outside their own penalty area.
Beram Kayal cut in from the left to send yet another shot into the stands. And despite Brighton's dominance Ikeme was being protected by a resolute back line.
There followed a quiet period with Wolves starting to enjoy more possession, although unable to make an impact in the Brighton box with Afobe and Henry both wasted chances to find team mates on the break.
Then came a sight many Wolves fans thought they'd never witness again - Sigurdarson in gold and black once more.
With 67 minutes on the clock the Icelandic forward came on for his first Wolves appearance since December 2013, replacing Henry on the right flank.
Wolves attacking ambitions were limited so Sigurdarson spent much of the next 23 minutes helping Iorfa in defence.
Brighton continued to up the shot count, with Wilson yet again the man to shoot, although once more it was comfortable for Ikeme.
On came striker Tomer Hemed for midfielder Andrew Crofts as Chris Hughton went for broke with what was effectively a 4-2-4 formation for the final 16 minutes.
Wolves were on the ropes but they enjoyed some much needed respite when Graham cut inside for a blocked shot, before Conor Coady let fly from 30 yards with a swerving rasper that Stockdale did well to tip over after changing direction at the last second.
Back came Brighton and Bruno cranked one off the crossbar from 25 yards - a magnificent effort that had beaten Ikeme.
Graham was forced to limp off with what looked like a turn of the ankle, Nathan Byrne replacing him.
Wolves were leaning leaning back on the ropes but defending admirably. Ebanks-Landell made a crucial clearance from Hemed's cross.
Brighton chucked everything they could into the Wolves box, but a successive of blocks, clearance and interceptions meant Ikeme was untroubled as Wolves clung on to a fabulous victory.
Brighton (4-3-3): Stockdale; Bruno (c), Goldson, Dunk, Calderon; Crofts, Kayal, Stephens; Wilson, Zamora (Manu, 63), Murphy. Subs: Maenpaa, Chicksen, Ince, Holla, Forster-Caskey, Hemed.
Wolves (4-5-1): Ikeme; Iorfa, Batth (c), Ebanks-Landell, Doherty; Henry (Sigurdarson, 67), Coady, McDonald, Edwards, Graham (Byrne, 86); Afobe (Le Fondre, 90). Subs: McCarey, Golbourne, Price, Wallace.
Goal: Goldson (OG, 32)
Referee: Christopher Kavanagh
Attendance: 26,321 (839 Wolves fans)
