Motherwell 1 Wolves 1

Mick McCarthy refused to single out individuals after an impressive performance in a 1-1 draw at Motherwell.

He didn't need to, because this was a real team effort as Wolves produced their best display of pre-season, in a game where the result never reflected the tourists' dominance.

Mark McGhee's Motherwell were expected to be Wolves' toughest test and so it proved.

Wolves looked stronger, fitter, showed better movement and created more chances than last season's third-placed SPL side preparing for UEFA Cup football.

Motherwell also start their season a week before Wolves on August 2, yet there was no doubting who were the sharper side.

It was a pre-season friendly, so as good as Wolves were, they could be equally bad when they wrap up their tour against Kilmarnock on Saturday. Such is the nature of preparations at this stage.

But there was no disguising Wolves' overall quality against a good standard of opposition.

McCarthy said: "I thought we were excellent and we dominated the game. Their keeper was man of the match by far – he made some really good saves.

"It was a strange night in that we had three goals disallowed but it doesn't matter, we played well.

"I was really pleased with everything about the performance. The movement, pace and energy about the team and the way we moved the ball about.

"It was our best performance of pre-season but it was always going to be that way because we're getting better. I hope it gets better and better still.

"They are very good opposition – third in the SPL so they're no mugs, that's for sure."

McCarthy believes that the travelling fans on hand at Fir Park had reason to be pleased with what they saw.

He said: "Anyone who watched that must be thrilled with the performance and some individuals as well.

"There were some good displays but I'm not naming them. I'm sure everyone will have their own thoughts on who played well.

"I'm interested in the team and as units they played well – except for the start.

"The back five did well, the two wide players did their jobs. The two central midfielders also did well, because they were up against three in the middle.

"The two front linked up really well. They had some great interchanges and their workrate was terrific."

McCarthy's only area for concern was in central midfield, where he admitted Karl Henry and David Jones were over-run at times.

So it proved, as Motherwell took a third minute lead when Steven McGarry was allowed a free run from deep, to pick up David Clarkson's lay-off from Steven Hammell's diagonal through ball, to give Wayne Hennessey no chance.

McCarthy said: "The central midfield maybe got caught a couple of times because they were attracted to the big central midfielder Bob Malcolm.

"We got caught cold a bit with their runner for their goal, but otherwise we had a really good start."

Wolves, who had gone close through Stephen Ward before the opener, were unperturbed however and continued to assert themselves.

David Jones drove straight at keeper Graeme Smith and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake lashed narrowly over.

Wolves, with George Elokobi making his first start at centre-half, looked wobbly during Motherwell's isolated pockets of attacking.

Former Colchester defender Elokobi was guilty of leaving Hennessey woefully short with a backpass, which Chris Porter duly stabbed straight at the giant keeper.

Thankfully for Wolves, Hennessey recovered his position and was able to make the save.

A minute later, with 20 on the clock, Wolves levelled when Ebanks-Blake headed home Michael Kightly's left-footed cross from point-blank range.

That passage was the highlight of some hugely impressive link-up play between those two and Andy Keogh.

He said: "We know he scores goals. That's one quality he's certainly got but last night's performance was also much better than Sunday's.

"He has been restricted by a bad back and once you get that, it's very debilitating. But that's just the normal aches, pains, knocks and bruises."

Keogh had the ball in the net soon after but his effort was ruled out for offside, after he got the slightest nudge to a Kightly free kick.

The Irish striker should have made it 2-1 in the move of the match when he was left clean through via Ebanks-Blake's backheel following Kightly's pass, but he could only fire straight at Smith.

Wolves' dominance continued and after having a heated debate with Paul Quinn then hard man Malcolm, Kightly had two efforts from range deflected just wide.

Richard Stearman stepped in with a great tackle to deny substitute Darren Smith, but that was a mere diversion before Ebanks-Blake had Wolves' second 'goal' disallowed for an early flag.

The visitors still had to defend and Clarkson was denied by a point-blank stop from Hennessey's legs, after Richard Stearman beat then lost the ball to him.

After Ebanks-Blake could only find the side-netting from a ridiculous angle, Wolves had a third effort disallowed, this time when Chris Iwelumo got the final touch on Stephen Ward's centre for interfering with play.

Despite the disruption caused by 15 substitutions in the second half, Wolves always looked the more slicker outfit.

They could and should easily have won. Sam Vokes saw a shot tipped away, before Neill Collins sprinted forward to join the attack, only to see his close range drive hit the keeper's legs from Vokes's pass.

Motherwell (4-4-2): G Smith; Quinn, Reynolds, Craigan, Hammell; McGarry (D Smith HT), Fitzpatrick, Malcolm (Hughes HT), O'Brien (Lasley HT); Porter, Clarkson.

Subs not used: Imley, Lasley, Murphy, Archdeacon, Mamam, Connolly, Slane.

Wolves (4-4-2): Hennessey; Foley (Little 68), Stearman (Gray 82), Elokobi (N Collins 75), Harte (Craddock 68); Kightly (Jarvis 68), Henry (Davies 82), David Jones (D Edwards 68), S Ward (Daniel Jones 75); Ebanks-Blake (Iwelumo 68), Keogh (Vokes 75).

Subs not used: Ikeme, D Ward.

Referee: E Smith.

Attendance: 2,338.