Morecambe 1 Wolves 0 - match report

Ryan Williams's superbly-struck free kick six minutes from time proved to be the difference in a pulsating tie as Leigh Griffiths and Zeli Ismail were denied by the post and bar soon after the restart.

Hours before the game, Wolves wing great Dave Wagstaffe passed away at the age of 70 after a short illness.

Wolves players wore black armbands as a mark of respect.

Head coach Kenny Jackett made six changes from Saturday's opening 0-0 draw at Preston, insisting they were all enforced.

Debutant Ethan Ebanks-Landell, Jamie Reckord, Ismail, Anthony Forde, Kevin Foley and Jake Cassidy replaced Richard Stearman, Sam Ricketts, Bjorn Sigurdarson, Lee Evans, Bakary Sako and Dave Edwards.

Stearman (hamstring), Edwards (ankle) and George Elokobi (groin), who came on and off as substitute on Saturday, were already ruled out after being off forced off at Deepdale.

Ricketts and Sigurdarson had sickness bugs and Sako had a twinge, while Evans was on the bench, where Kevin Doyle appeared for the first time this summer.

The absence of Ricketts saw Batth at 22 captain one of the youngest Wolves teams for many years, nine of whom were homegrown if you include Evans, who was bought initially for the Under-21 team in January, while 14 of the 18-man squad came through the ranks.

In a lively and competitive first half there were half chances for both teams but you could barely split the sides.

In a similar pattern to Saturday at Preston, Wolves fared better in the first half before fading after the break, although their two best chances came in the second period.

But there was danger from almost the start as Morecambe player-coach Stewart Drummond tested Carl Ikeme with a first-time effort from 25 yards after just 30 seconds, the Wolves keeper smothering well.

Griffiths, who signed a two-year contract today, perhaps should have done better when Forde's chip fell to him in the area in the 11^th minute.

But the ball came on his unfavoured right foot and the Scotland international opted to try to find Cassidy with a cross rather than shoot and the chance was lost.

Morecambe had another sniff of goal in the 14^th minute but striker Jack Sampson glanced wide from Drummond's centre from a promising position.

Forde had a lively first half and he had his first sight of goal on 22 when he cut in from the left only to curl off target.

After David Davis picked up his second booking in as many games five minutes before the break, Doherty saw his cross hit the base of the near post in the first off three Wolves attempts against the woodwork.

Then it was Morecambe's turn to threaten again and Williams saw a low drive deflected off the legs of Batth.

Wolves had the best chance of the game so far in the 51^st minute but Griffiths could only head against the post from point-blank range from Ismail's cross.

Ismail then had a go himself and became the second Wolves player in as many minutes to hit the woodwork when his curling left-foot shot hit the bar and went over.

Williams served a warning of what was to follow in the 55^th minute with a free kick that bounced up viciously on Ikeme, who could only watch as the ball hit him, then Ebanks-Landell stabbed clear for a corner.

Griffiths was presented with another chance to open his account for the season on the hour but he could only float his free kick a couple of feet over the angle after Doyle, who came on for Cassidy in the 57^th minute, was tripped.

Morecambe continued to look dangerous however and Andrew Fleming fired just past the post on 61 in a crowded box.

Padraig Amond was inches away from connecting with Tony Diagne's centre as the hosts looked for the breakthrough.

The onus seemed to be slipping away from Wolves but Forde saw a shot spilled by keeper Barry Roche diving to his left on 72.

Sampson headed straight at Ikeme from another Diagne centre eight minutes from time.

Then came the vital goal, after Doherty tripped Fleming in the D to earn a booking.

Up stepped Williams to curl a beauty into the top corner, giving Ikeme at full stretch no chance.

Wolves tried to hit back but to no avail and they look in need of reinforcements as they prepare for their first home game of the season against Gillingham on Saturday.