Classic match report - Reading 0 Wolves 1 (1-3 on aggregate), 2003

In fact, look at every one of those delighted faces, not just cherubic Alex Rae's gleeful Scottish gawp.

What a night this was. Wolves banished the ghosts of play-off defeats past (three of them, to Bolton, Crystal Palace and Norwich) and finally made it to a promotion shoot-out, or The Richest Game in Football™, as Sky would have it dubbed.

They would of course win it, beating Sheffield United in Cardiff. But this barmy Berkshire night was just as memorable.

The emotions were certainly different. At Cardiff there was euphoria, but it was tempered with a hint of disbelief, certainly at the manner in which the 'pinch me, is this really happening?' 3-0 win unfolded.

But at Reading, after 80 nervous minutes of half expecting Wolves to throw it away, after a year of stewing on the most humiliating and cataclysmic promotion cock-up imaginable, Wolves fans could unleash pure, unconfined elation, first when Rae created one of the more enduring happy memories in the club's recent history with his late goal, and then again at full time.

The wild, raucous celebrations behind Marcus Hahnemann's net after that Rae winner are truly goosebump enducing - and get one over on Cardiff in that respect, as Wolves' goals all came in front of glum-faced Yorkshiremen.

Anyway, recall how the Express & Star reported on this famous night below, and with the assistance of a low quality YouTube video, relive that golden moment again.

At long last Wolves stand on the threshold of the Promised Land

Ninety minutes from making it.

Reading 0 Wolves 1 (1-3 on aggregate), Wednesday May 14, 2003

Monday, May 26 at the Millennium Stadium will determine whether the Molineux heroes finally join the elite and end their 19-year wait to be restored to the top bracket of English football.

It's never been that close. Even when they briefly went eight points clear last season, Wolves were never this close.

Now it all rests on one game. Just one more effort and Wolves will have that coveted place in their grasp.

They have already surpassed the efforts of Graham Taylor in 1995, Mark McGhee in 1997 and Dave Jones's side last year.

Tonight they will turn their attentions to their opponents in the final, and as they extended their unbeaten run to 11 matches, Nottingham Forest and Sheffield United both have good reason to be concerned.

Yet at the end of it all as the exhausted players trooped off, there was still a reluctance to celebrate.

Manager Dave Jones didn't get any more heated than to draw breath as he was briefly embraced with a bear hug from coach Terry Connor.

The backroom staff trotted onto the pitch and there were handshakes, but no one was "larging it".

As Reading embarked on their lap of honour to acknowledge an outstanding season, Wolves captain Paul Ince swapped shirts with Royals midfielder Andy Hughes.

By that time, Jones was already down the tunnel, planning for the next hurdle. There was little point in celebrating because, as the manager points out, nothing has been achieved yet.

Perhaps the most poignant indicator was the brief, but happy chat between Jones and chief executive Jez Moxey on the touchline as the media scrum began to subside.

Some observers had this down as Jones's last game if it ended in defeat, yet the clear common bond and mutual acknowledgement of a possible success story unfolding suggests that scenario was highly premature.

The fans deserved their celebrations after answering the call to arms. While Reading chairman John Madejski's response to his "noise night" demand produced a record crowd and the biggest din the stadium has known, Wolves' barmy army were as noisy as they were colourful.

They sense the cautious approach and not one has dared to chant "Going Up" because no one wants to tempt fate.

I'm sure the players didn't need reminding of the importance of this fixture. But if they did, even for a split second, they only need look at the non-stop chanting sea of gold and black behind the visitor's goal.

They became Wolves' 12th man on a night when all help was welcomed, and they were rewarded with the next step of the ultimate prize.

Mental steel was perhaps the element missing from last season's promotion challenge, but is now more obvious than ever before.

Paul Butler made a mockery of his injury to head and clear everything that came across his path, while in front of him, Paul Ince and Colin Cameron chased down every ball as if their lives depended on it.

On the flanks, full-backs Denis Irwin and Lee Naylor made clearance after clearance, while in front of them, Mark Kennedy underlined his growing ability to embrace the "ugly" side of the game by winning several tackles.

As expected, Reading threw the kitchen sink at Wolves, but by half time there was a feeling of 'was that your best shot? Okay we'll have some of that.'

Reading's lack of cutting edge showed how much they missed top scorer Nicky Forster.

Jamie Cureton was the man assigned with the task of replacing the 17-goal hitman, but the former Bristol Rovers man doesn't possess the same guile or strength as Forster.

They were pretty enough in possession, but they lacked penetration and no matter how many crosses came in, there was no way through Wolves' wall of gold at the back.

There was a scare however after just 40 seconds when Glen Little's slightly-deflected volley was dropped by Matt Murray, with Joleon Lescott having to make a hasty clearance.

Murray has admitted suffering from nerves in big games before and he appeared to be hit with an early case of the jitters.

But the England under-21 international proved what a vital last line of defence he is by pulling off a superb reflex save to deny a header Darius Henderson five minutes before the break.

Henderson was denied again just after the hour when Murray clawed away a shot after Little for once split Wolves' defence.

Then came the moment of glory that clinched Wolves' place in the final.

Alex Rae's matchwinner nine minutes from time, after he changed from left foot to right to snaffle half a yard before burying his angled shot beyond keeper Marcus Hahnemann, allowed the celebrations to begin in Berkshire and the West Midlands.

The dream awaits. It is within touching distance of reality.