Express & Star

Stearman: Ikeme will win us points

Defender Richard Stearman today insisted Carl Ikeme's time has come and vowed he "will win Wolves points" after the keeper's solid start to the season.

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The current Molineux No.1 produced a sensational save to keep out Ben Marshall's angled shot in Sunday's 2-1 win over Leicester, while he also stopped Jamie Vardy's point-blank header, albeit somewhat fortuitously.

Ikeme is preparing to be tested again as Wolves look towards an away-day double-header, at Ipswich tomorrow followed by Peterborough on Saturday.

The 26-year-old shot-stopper has already arguably won Wolves at least one point after making six saves in the 1-1 draw against Derby in the previous home game. And Stearman has backed Ikeme to continue his heroics.

"Carl has been unlucky in recent years in that we've had such an array of talent in goal," said Stearman.

"He's waited patiently but we can all see how good he is and I think he'll win us points."

Meanwhile, Stearman today admitted he found it hard to keep his elation under wraps after scoring against his former club.

The 25-year-old scored his first league goal since August 2009 in his first appearance against the Foxes since he left in 2008 to make it 2-0 in Sunday's 2-1 win. Stearman's strike – a left-foot volley that crashed in off the underside of the bar after Bakary Sako's corner was headed on by Kevin Doyle – was his first in 76 League appearances since a 1-1 draw against Hull.

But out of respect for Leicester, where he spent a decade before switching to his hometown club, he opted not to celebrate.

"It was a weird one for me," he said. "I had 10 great years at Leicester and tried to mute my celebration but it was hard to contain.

"It's just strange you always seem to score against your former clubs. I saw the ball come over and Doyler got a flick on it. I was just hoping to make a good connection and was delighted to see it hit the back of the net."

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