Kightly gives Wolves breathing space

Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 Cambridge United 1

Michael Kightly remains Mick McCarthy's greatest ally as he battles to turn Wolves' season around, writes Mark Douglas.

The returning England under-21 winger backed up his midweek appeal to the Molineux faithful with a match-turning cameo to earn his embattled manager some valuable breathing space – and provide a timely glimmer of light after the unremitting gloom of that dark December.

It was some rescue mission from the winger, who spent the week leading a one-man crusade against what he branded the "ridiculous" band of critics of McCarthy's new Wolves project.

Given the bubbling discontent on the terraces at Molineux there was more than a hint of fearlessness in Kightly's midweek condemnation of the "20 per cent" calling for the manager's removal – and an indication of his growing influence and unchecked popularity that it was not immediately shot down by the minority of supporters impatient for change.

Whether Kightly's appeal will quell the fire of those fans in the long-term is open to debate, but when he delivers the goods as emphatically as this his opinions are certainly difficult to ignore.

Summoned from the bench as Wolves looked to be running perilously short of ways to break down Cambridge's nine-man defence, he volleyed the Molineux men level before winning and then delivering the crucial free-kick from which Neill Collins headed the decisive goal.

In between he'd looked a shade short of optimum sharpness and fitness but it hardly seemed to matter as Wolves dredged their first win in eight from the brink of humiliation, and left supporters praying that the Molineux men have finally begun a steady climb after their unexpected December nose dive.

A fit and firing Kightly will certainly help McCarthy, but just as important was having a player who looked fearless and full of confidence to help lift a team who have, at times, looked paralysed by worry in the last six weeks.

McCarthy will be hoping that January reinforcements – if he can secure them – will have a similarly uplifting effect on a side who have taken on a decidedly brow-beaten demeanour this winter.

They certainly looked like a struggling side when McCarthy sent for his much-missed winger with just under half an hour left on the clock at Molineux.

In truth Wolves, as ragged and imperfect as they were at times on a nerve-shredding FA Cup afternoon, didn't deserve to be losing to their Conference opponents when Kightly was summoned from the bench.

But it was that recurring wastefulness in front of goal that turned this tricky game into a potential disaster for Wolves.

A home tie with a high-flying and free-scoring Conference side always seemed to scream danger and so it proved for a Wolves side whose confidence has simply flat-lined in recent weeks.

Reading's Dave Kitson has been widely condemned for his disparaging comments about the FA Cup but McCarthy probably felt a pang of sympathy after being handed just about the most treacherous draw an under-pressure manager could ask for.

How he must have wished for a top-flight team at home to galvanise Molineux – just like Dave Jones got back in 2003 when Wolves blew Newcastle away and rode the momentum all the way into the Premiership.

Instead McCarthy had to watch as his team put the manager and themselves through the mill before eventually putting their Conference opponents to the sword.

Wolves started brightly enough, perhaps buoyed by the more creative midfield pairing of Darron Gibson and Darren Potter, but they were unconvincing in the final third and that hesitancy always left them at risk to Cambridge forays.

They had already had a lucky escape when tricky winger Mark Convery took the wrong option from five yards out and blasted against Wayne Hennessey. But there was to be no redemption when Collins stroked an all-too casual pass into the path of Convery.

He scrambled back to cover, but when Convery's cross hit him somewhere near his arm, referee Kevin Friend harshly pointed to the spot.

Scott Rendell, who worked tirelessly throughout, swept home the spot-kick and Wolves toiled toothlessly until the introduction of Kightly.

In the context of the events of recent weeks, we perhaps shouldn't read too much into a performance that left McCarthy with as much cause for concern as optimism.

A simple place in the fourth round was the only requirement for Wolves, who wouldn't have won any plaudits even if they had conjured a four or five goal winning margin.

In the positives column chalk up a decent return for Potter, whose incisive passing range from a central midfield slot does offer Wolves a different option from the industry of Karl Henry or the endeavour of the improving Gibson.

There was also the guts of Collins, who has been through the mill with the rest of the squad in recent weeks but showed the requisite character to power home a late header after he'd unfairly seen a penalty given against him in the first half.

Add to the mix some promising signs from Matt Jarvis after he was given free rein on the left of midfield and McCarthy at least has some cause to reflect favourably an otherwise uncomfortable afternoon.

Among the negatives are Wolves' continuing lack of cutting edge – something that had undoubtedly riled a tetchy McCarthy as he gave his post-match press conference.

After the early encouraging signs, the partnership of Jay Bothroyd and Andy Keogh stalled against the Conference promotion chasers and there may be changes on that front after the inconsistent Freddy Eastwood again impressed from the bench.

Keogh was under the weather with the chest infection that caused him to be hauled off controversially against Sheffield United, but strike partner Bothroyd had one of those afternoons that has supporters and coaches tearing their hair out in equal measure.

With Cambridge vanquished the bigger tests are still to come.

But with Kightly back in tow there are once again reasons for optimism at Molineux.