Wolves 1 Cardiff 2 - match report

The 2-1 defeat to the Bluebirds meant Wolves are still searching for their first victory under boss Dean Saunders after eight games during which they have taken four points, while their winless run now stretches to 12 matches.

All four defeats under Saunders have ended 2-1, but there was the feeling that Cardiff had other gears which they didn't need to use here.

Fraizer Campbell's brace on 20 and 67 minutes left Wolves with it all do but although they rallied through Bakary Sako's 69^th-minute deflected free kick, they couldn't find an equaliser as they remained in the Championship relegation zone.

Saunders produced a surprise before kick off by changing formation to 3-5-1-1 after playing 4-4-2 then 4-5-1 in the 2-1 defeat at Barnsley on Tuesday night in a team that showed three changes.

And the difficulties of the change in system were all too plain to see on players whose confidence had already taken a battering in an unfamiliar line-up.

In came Matt Doherty, Roger Johnson and Tongo Doumbia for Kevin Foley, Dave Edwards and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, who all dropped to the bench which comprised all Mick McCarthy signings apart from homegrown David Davis.

There was inexperience as Doherty was making his first Wolves league start while on the opposite flank, 19-year-old Robinson was making his second appearance for the club.

Perhaps predictably, Cardiff started on the attack and it remained that way for virtually the whole of the first half with Wolves showing clear difficulties coping with the new system.

Saunders at least changed things back to 4-4-2 at the break with the introduction of Kevin Doyle and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, but it could be argued the damage had already been done by then.

Peter Whittingham, who scored a hat-trick in the Bluebirds' 3-1 win over Wolves in September, fired a low drive wide from the first sight of goal in the third minute, before Bjorn Sigurdarson blazed high and wide into the Stan Cullis Stand two minutes later.

Kaspars Gorkss got away with only a lecture after taking out Craig Bellamy on the halfway line.

From the resulting free kick, Bellamy looked set to pounce and punish Wolves, and it took a superb tackle on the Wales international six yards out after the ball was headed across goal.

Whittingham had another chance in the 18^th minute when Matt Connolly and Aron Gunnarsson combined on the right for the latter to beat Jack Robinson and cross from the right.

But former Villa man Whittingham saw his shot deflected wide off Johnson.

It had been all Cardiff with Wolves struggling to get out of their own half and despite having an extra defender, there was a certain inevitability about the visitors taking the lead.

Campbell's fourth goal in five games came via a far-post header after Aron Gunnarsson's long throw was flicked on by Ben Turner.

Wolves' only real chance of the first half came in the 42^nd minute when Sigurdarson, who was easily their best player of the opening period, brilliantly turned onto a pass from Doherty and spun Ben Turner in one movement before cutting the ball back for Bakary Sako.

But the French winger could only stab wide with his unfavoured right foot.

Not surprisingly, there were boos to greet the half-time whistle.

And those fans baffled by Saunders' decision to change the system were appeased by the sight of Kevin Doyle and Ebanks-Blake coming on at the start of the second half, for the blameless Danny Batth and the ineffective Tongo Doumbia.

Wolves immediately looked more comfortable in a more familiar line up and carried the game to the visitors.

The home side created their first chance of the half following their first corner in the 56^th minute.

Sigurdarson produced a superb volleyed cross from the left to the head of the in-rushing Doyle, whose header was blocked by a defender at point-blank range before it bounced harmlessly off his chest.

Sigurdarson was again the architect for their next chance, this time crossing for Doyle again but the Ireland international's rising header sailed straight at keeper David Marshall.

Then came the sucker punch for Wolves as a rare mistake by keeper Carl Ikeme saw Campbell ghost in to stab home after Craig Bellamy's free kick held up in the air.

Despite the blow, Wolves continued to probe, inspired by a rejuvenated Doyle and Ebanks-Blake, and the latter missed a golden chance to equalise 10 minutes from time when he crashed a volley into the ground and over the bar after Sako had ran the length of the pitch before crossing.

Wolves remained the more livelier side and their quest gained fresh momentum with the sight of the fourth official's board declaring six minutes of time added on at the end.

But it was Cardiff who suddenly looked like grabbing a goal when Bellamy beat the offside trap only to see his angled shot deflected wide.

And the final whistle signalled more misery for Wolves as they slipped to yet another defeat.