Wolves 3 Fulham 2 - Report and pictures
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They used to have a bloke here called 'the Pole with no goal'.more
That accusation can never be leveled at Michal Zyro. In fact the latest in a lengthening list of foreign Molineux recruits was 'the Pole with two goals', as he made one of the more impressive home debuts seen at this grand old ground in recent years.
Zyro netted in the sixth minute. And he added another in the 13th for good measure to set Wolves up for a victory that was tenser in the closing stages than it needed to be.
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Chances galore went begging, not least from the South Bank's new hero who could have scored a couple more.
One chance they had no right to take - a 35-yard bullet from the unlikely source of makeshift left-back Matt Doherty, Wolves' goal of the season so far - ultimately proved the difference.
Fulham, who played some very easy-on-the-eye football, nearly ruined the Zyro party (as the Wolves fans sang, 'no Zyro no party'), but Wolves were good value for this win, their fourth on the spin in an ever perplexing season to read.
Jackett utilised a 4-4-2 formation and his team were dynamic and hungry in attack, winning the ball back time and again with Kevin McDonald and David Edwards impressive in central midfield.
It all meant the absence of a certain Benik Afobe wasn't missed, and the hope is that Wolves now push on from here with fresh additions and make a belated go of a promotion charge.
Kick off was delayed owing to a serious crash which had closed Waterloo Road, and before the game began there was a minute's applause to remember Roy Swinbourne and Sir Jack Hayward.
It was actually Fulham who looked the more dangerous in the opening exchanges, with Moussa Dembele scuffing a shot when well placed.
But it was soon time for the Zyro show. That man Graham provided his eighth assist of his short Wolves career, beating his man down the left and crossing low for the Pole, who took two bites before calmly slotting into the corner.
And then seven minutes later he had scored his second, latching onto a through ball from the back, holding off his man and sidefooting under Andy Lonergan.
It was an excellent finish, which he had plenty of time to think about, and comfortably cemented Wolves' best start to a game this season as a result.
Graham then almost set up a third, crossing for Edwards whose header was brilliantly saved by Lonergan.
Wolves were far more open and attacking than they'd been at any point this side of Christmas, but Fulham were enjoying far more of the ball, with plenty of it coming in and around the Wolves box.
Alexander Kacaniklic was denied at the last second as he was about to shoot, and then Danny Batth threw himself in the way of a goalbound Dembele shot.
It felt like a Cottagers goal was coming, and it duly arrived on 24 minutes when Jazz Richards' pinpoint cross was headed home by Christensen.
The visitors were playing some decent football, with boo-boy Jamie O'Hara looking to pull the strings against his former club.
His team mate Richard Stearman, though, didn't get to feature on his first Molineux return, having been left on the bench by boss Slavisa Jokanovic.
Both teams continued to attack with Graham usually Wolves' instigator. He forced Lonergan to tip wide from a 25-yarder, before the same man's cross was cleared just ahead of Van La Parra.
On the stroke of half time man of the moment Zyro could have completed a famous hat-trick. He was given a golden chance to do so from Doherty's cut-back, but fired wide from just six yards out.
It had been an open, entertaining half, with Fulham having 63 per cent possession but Wolves creating the better chances.
And the pattern continued in after the break - which suited Wolves just fine.
Three minutes into the second half came what was surely the best goal of Doherty's career. A free kick was cleared to the Irishman and no one inside Molineux expected what came next - he let fly first time from all of 35-yards, and the low thunderbolt careered past Lonergan into the corner.
It was some strike, arguably Wolves' best of the season so far.
And with confidence soaring another contender almost followed soon after - Van La Parra curling a beauty from the left of the box which bounced off the far post and to safety.
Van La Parra was much improved from his display at West Ham and showed tenacity to dispossess Dan Burn near the touchline, before racing into the box and dragging his effort wide.
The Cottagers were struggling to cope with Wolves' at-times blistering forward play. Van La Parra slotted through the back line for Zyro who raced into the box, but this time Lonergan was equal to it.
A free kick the saw Batth's header saved by the keeper, and Van La Parra awkwardly sidefooted the six-yard rebound over when it looked like the net was about to bulge.
Wolves had spurned plenty of chances to put the game to bed. And they were soon made to suffer when Ross McCormack ensured a nervy final 15 minutes, swinging his right boot and beating Ikeme with a deflected shot from 20 yards after good work down the left from left-back Burn.
And there were indeed a couple of nervous moments - a cross went straight through substitute Matt Smith, six yards out, and then O'Hara tested Ikeme with a long range thunderbolt.
Jackett made three changes to send on fresh legs up front and eat up some time.
And in four added minutes they went untroubled as Wolves earned three more very welcome points.
