High ho Sylvan lining for Wolves

There was an unfamiliar look to the Wolves line-up that finished the game, writes Tim Nash.

See also: Wolves 2 Swansea 1 - in pictures

What with Richard Stearman held up by snow on the motorway, Michael Mancienne making a late debut alongside Jason Shackell on his second Wolves start, while substitutes Dave Edwards and Andy Keogh patrolled the flanks.

But if the team ultimately bore something of a strange look, there was a growing familiarity to the way Wolves achieved this latest victory.

The wins against Coventry and Watford were certainly scrappy, maybe undeserved, but although there was nothing lucky about this one, there was no denying Wolves won ugly again.

And let's face it, with Mick McCarthy's team sitting pretty at the top of the Championship again after a 10th win in 14 games, who's complaining?

The winning feeling that spread through the team at the weekend was with them again last night.

And while Swansea continued to weave pretty patterns in the snow, Wolves went about their work with a more ruthless streak.

Although the visitors' Mark Gower had a fine shot tipped over before he later hit the bar, Wolves deserved this latest success for taking their chances.

Their slender advantage could have easily been more but for a fussy official who ruled out two marginal strikes from Chris Iwelumo as the big striker made it three disallowed efforts in two home games.

With an icy wind chilling the bones, freezing temperatures and a light carpet of snow covering the pitch, it was no night for the faint hearted.

On such a night, you look for the big characters to step forward and, in the imperious Iwelumo, Wolves had the evening's outstanding performer.

Strike partner Sylvan Ebanks-Blake might have taken the headlines after scoring both goals.

But Iwelumo outshone him with a performance that would have thawed the thickest permafrost.

Conditions dictated that Wolves, rather than the stubborn Swans, took a more direct approach and the visitors had no answer to Iwelumo's aerial strength and power.

Iwelumo was particularly unlucky in the first-half, as the Scottish international went desperately close to adding to his tally three times.

First he scooped the ball over when Neill Collins nodded back a Dave Jones corner.

Then his storming header was disallowed for a slight push on Garry Monk, before he lashed just over on the half volley after superbly controlling Carlos Edwards' cross on the toffee-like surface.

Jones was also determined to add to his tally after netting at Watford on Saturday and the former Derby man was just wide from 25 yards from another well-worked free kick routine straight from the Compton training pitches.

Swansea, who always looked to play their smooth passing game despite the treacherous conditions, had their moments too, albeit on the break as Wolves forced five corners in the first half hour. In fact, Gower went closer than anyone else to scoring during the first-half when his powerful drive was tipped over at full stretch by Carl Ikeme, while the Championship's most unusually-named footballer Angel Rangel fired over on the angle with the outside of his right foot.

Kevin Foley, who has been so impressive recently, slipped below his normally sky-high standards to give the ball away for Gower's big moment.

Thankfully for Wolves, McCarthy's men got the goal their territorial superiority and play deserved in first-half injury-time when Ebanks-Blake twisted and turned in a crowded box, holding off challenges from Darren Pratley then Monk before burying a shot across on-loan Birmingham keeper Artur Krysiak.

The goal ensured Wolves trooped off to a healthy reception as fans headed for the comfort of the warm moments later.

But if their advantage was deserved, then it was short-lived, as Swansea levelled within four minutes.

And if Foley unwittingly manufactured Swansea's best chance of the first-half, then he was an unfortunate and powerless accomplice in the move that led to their equaliser.

The former Luton man was left short with a poor pass from Jones which was easily cut out as Swansea equalised.

Foley was caught upfield as the visitors made rapid strides down the left, and when left-back Federico Bessone whipped in the cross, the impressive midfielder Pratley seized on a team-mate's stray header to plant a firm drive beyond Ikeme from just inside the D.

Two minutes later, Swansea's push reached its zenith as Pratley flashed a rising drive a foot over the bar. But Wolves were quick to re-assert their authority and Ebanks-Blake netted his and Wolves' second on 57 when he glanced home after Carlos Edwards had retrieved a loose ball and crossed from the left.

It was a simple but excellent piece of classic centre forward's play from the former Plymouth man, who ghosted across Wolverhampton-born former Albion reserve defender Ashley Williams to glance across Krysiak.

That settled any jangling Wolves nerves, and although Gower hit the bar from distance, Jason Scotland and Rangel fired wide from half chances, there was a certain inevitability about the points being Wolves'.

But Wolves - and Iwelumo in particular- ended with a flourish.

He had another effort disallowed, this time an angled drive quickly flagged for offside, then saw a header tipped over by Krysiak, with Jones the architect on both occasions.

Karl Henry also saw a drive tipped wide - although it was clearly off target anyway, before Jordi Gomez forced a falling save from Ikeme.

So, a win - another ugly one at that - but another three points which took them back to the top of the Championship.

And the gap's widening.

With over a quarter of the season gone, they have opened up a six-point gap on third-placed Cardiff - where Wolves go on Saturday - while they are 11 ahead of Sheffield United in the last play-off position.

However scrappy the wins have become, fans only need to look at the league table to see what's important at this stage of the season.