MK Dons 1 Wolves 2 - Report and pictures
Just when you thought Wolves had started their summer holidays early.[gallery]
Losing 1-0 to MK Dons and their injury curse having struck yet again, Kenny Jackett's team found resolve and spirit in equal measure to mount a blistering four-minute second half comeback.
Where they were laboured and lacking cohesion in the first half, Wolves were incisive and, yes, exciting to watch after the break.
In a season of what might have beens, James Henry showed Wolves just what they'd missed in the past six weeks, providing two assists in a manner Jordan Graham would have been proud of.
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Both were right-wing crosses - the first met with a bullet header by George Saville, the second turned in by the unlikeliest of sources in Jack Price, scoring just his second goal for the club.
The evening was soured by Michal Zyro being stretchered off with what appeared to be a serious injury after a shockingly high challenge from Antony Kay, that resulted in just a booking.
But overall it was evening to smile again for Wolves fans - and they haven't been able to do that too often this season.
As well as the sprightly attacking play, particularly on the counter, with Adam Le Fondre and Joe Mason both impressing after being given rare opportunities, they showed excellent resilience to withstand an onslaught of sorts from relegation-threatened MK Dons.
More of this in the final six games and there really will be hope and optimism for Wolves, as Jackett has been promising in recent weeks.
After all, they're now five matches unbeaten, and showing some of the qualities they'll need if they are to mount a promotion charge next year.
Jackett made two changes from the side that drew 0-0 with Ipswich on Saturday, bringing in Joe Mason and James Henry in an attacking-looking XI.
Jeremy Helan dropped to the bench while Bjorn Sigurdarson and Kevin McDonald were left out of the squad, with the returning David Edwards taking a spot on the bench.
There weren't quite 9,000 Wolves fans in attendance like for their previous, memorable visit here two years ago, but around 1,400 had made the journey down the M1 - a great turnout given the circumstances.
On a sunny early spring evening in Milton Keynes the scene was set for an improved Wolves performance from that dour stalemate three days earlier, but they certainly didn't oblige in the first half.
Just six minutes in they were behind - Hause lost out by his own penalty area, the ball was played to Carl Baker whose low cross was diverted past his own keeper by Hause, although the goal was initially given to Nicky Maynard who went for the ball with the defender.
Wolves reacted well with Zyro sending a come-and-get-me ball across goal - it rolled all the way to the back stick where Henry fired into the side netting.
The front three were combining nicely - Mason played in Henry round the back and his cut-back to Zyro was cleared for a corner, from which Danny Batth headed over.
Mason then twisted and turned in the box and drove low at goal - keeper Cody Cropper saved and Henry was fractions away from reaching the loose ball before the keeper claimed.
Mason was involved again when he won the ball 35 yards out and played to Zyro, but his wild shot was too high.
It was promising in places, but Wolves lacked a cutting edge, and at the other end MK Dons threatened sporadically with set pieces causing the visitors some problems.
The half petered out badly with Jackett's team lacking a coherent link between midfield and attack.
But seconds before the break they were dealt a bitter blow when Zyro picked up what appeared to be a serious injury.
He was trying to control a bouncing ball on halfway and Wolves were potentially two on two - but Antony Kay lunged in late and took out the Pole with a nasty challenge.
The travelling fans chanted for a red but referee Mark Heywood gave a yellow. Zyro tried to stand but couldn't and after receiving lengthy treatment, which lasted into half time, was stretchered off.
Adam Le Fondre was Zyro's half time replacement. And Wolves did improve at the start of the second half.
After Iorfa was alive to block a Kay volley from an MK Dons, the visitors enjoyed a decent spell of pressure.
Conor Coady broke well from midfield and sprayed to Le Fondre, whose cross was claimed just ahead of Mason by keeper Cropper.
There was more urgency about Wolves' play, with Le Fondre often in the thick of the action.
And on 62 minutes they deservedly drew level - Henry hung a cross towards the back stick where Saville rose highest to send a bullet header past Cropper, who got a hand to the ball but couldn't keep it out.
The goal jolted MK Dons into life - Maynard slid across goal and then failed to divert past Ikeme after Batth sliced a clearance.
But Wolves had the bit by their teeth - and just four minutes after levelling they took the lead.
A brisk counter attack that saw Wolves get plenty forward yet again ended with Henry providing another assist, crossing low for Price to score just his second goal for the club and send the away fans behind that goal potty.
It had been a breathtaking few minutes but thereafter the game quietened considerably, with Wolves doing an excellent job of killing it off.
MK Dons used all three substitutes to up the tempo but Wolves were calm in possession and defended in numbers.
Crosses were chucked into the box but Wolves were strong, with Ikeme claiming everything. And they saw out stoppage time without alarm to make it five unbeaten and send their fans home very happy indeed.
MK Dons: Cropper; Baldock, Kay, Walsh, Lewington (c); Potter, Forster-Caskey; Baker (Murphy, 65), Carruthers, Powell (Emmanuel-Thomas, 78); Maynard (Revell, 74). Subs: Burn, Long, Williams, Bowditch.
Goal: Hause (OG, 6)
Wolves (4-3-3): Ikeme; Iorfa, Batth (c), Hause, Doherty; Coady, Price, Saville; Henry, Mason, Zyro (Le Fondre, 45). Subs: Martinez; Deslandes, Edwards, Helan, Hunte.
Goals: Saville (62), Price (66)
Attendance: 12,131 (1.653 Wolves fans)
Referee: Mary Keywood (West Yorkshire)
