Michael Kightly's next step to fitness
Michael Kightly took another huge step towards full fitness when he scored his first goal in two years for Wolves reserves.
Michael Kightly took another huge step towards full fitness when he scored his first goal in two years for Wolves reserves.
The 25-year-old winger put his side ahead in the 34th minute and was hugely influential in a planned hour in a game Wolves lost 2-1 to Blackburn at Leigh Sports Village last night.
The former England under-21 international stepped up his recovery after playing 45 minutes in the 3-3 draw against Manchester United's second string last Thursday, with his first goal at any level since scoring at Nottingham Forest two years ago this month.
The game was marred by two sendings off after Wolves were reduced to 10 men on 74 minutes when Matt Doherty was dismissed for pulling back Nikola Kalinic, then the game ended in ugly circumstances when Rovers' French midfielder Darryl Goulon saw red for violent conduct at the death.
Goulon appeared to kick Nathan Rooney in the chest and before slapping the midfielder on his way off.
But it was the performance of the much-missed Kightly that was the talking point from Wolves' point of view.
Development coach Steve Weaver said: "Michael looked bright and lively and scored a good goal.
"This is where he is at the moment in terms of just building up his game-time. It's not so much about what he does out there but the reaction and how he feels the next morning.
"But it was all very positive again and we'll just see how he reacts and take it from there."
Kightly's next action is likely to be a home game against Bolton's second string next Tuesday.
Weaver believes Wolves should have claimed victory in what was their third reserve game in a week after beating Villa 3-1 last Monday.
He said: "We should have won. The young lads did really well and put in a good performance and we were a goal ahead at half-time thanks to a well-taken effort from Kightly.
"If we'd just been a bit more clinical in the final third we could have had more goals.
"But we paid the penalty for conceding possession and two goals from situations when we should have been comfortable with the ball.
"A wayward pass cost us for the first and then, having been reduced to 10 men, we should have put the ball in behind but gave it away again for their second."
Kightly's goal came after 34 minutes, latching on to a Leigh Griffiths pass to clip home a low shot.