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Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-1 Town - Match Report
Saturday, 18th Apr 2015 14:24

Former Blues loanee Richard Stearman headed a first-half own goal but Benik Afobe equalised five minutes after the break as Town and Wolves drew 1-1 in the clash of the play-off chasers at Molineux.

Jay Tabb replaced Stephen Hunt at left midfield in a Town side otherwise unchanged from the team which beat Cardiff 3-1 on Tuesday.

Wolves, where Mick McCarthy spent six years as manager, Terry Connor was his assistant and briefly boss, and Hunt and Christophe Berra were players, included former Town loanee Stearman from the start at centre of the defence.

Town started the stronger, winning an early corner, then in the third minute Freddie Sears found strike partner Daryl Murphy inside the area to the right but the Blues’ 24-goal Championship top scorer shot across the face of goal and wide.

The home side began to get on top of a game played in sunny but breezy conditions and in the seventh minute Nouha Dicko did well to cut the ball back from the byline on the left having beaten Blues skipper Luke Chambers, but Berra diverted it back to keeper Bartosz Bialkowski, who cleared.

Dicko was proving to be Wolves’ main threat in the opening minutes and on 10 the pacy frontman broke past Tommy Smith on the right but Berra was again there to challenge as he broke into the area.

Berra halted the Malian international’s progress again on the quarter hour after he had skipped away from Smith on halfway and was breaking towards goal.

Moments later, as the home side kept up the pressure, Wolves winger Rajiv van La Parra crossed from the right but was unable to find a team-mate.

Despite Wolves having looked by far the more dangerous side, the Blues went in front in the 21st minute. Bishop whipped over a corner from the right, Smith rose with Stearman, who inadvertently sent a the ball looping over keeper Carl Ikeme and into the corner of the net.

Smith claimed his fifth goal of the season but it seems likely to go down as an own goal by the former Town loanee, who failed to find the net for the Blues during his 15-game loan spell in the 2012/13 campaign.

The home side looked to hit back immediately, van La Parra shooting over and then Dicko failed to find the target with a header. However, the Town goal seemed to knock them out of their stride and the Molineux crowd quickly began to become frustrated.

On 33 Dicko cut into the area from the left but again found Berra in his way, the Scotland international this time blocking the one-time Wigan man’s shot.


Three minutes later, Jonny Parr was shown the game’s first yellow card for bringing down Benik Afobe as Wolves broke.

Wolves came within inches of getting back on terms in the 39th minute when Smith’s header from deep in the Town area fell to Dave Edwards, whose volley beat Bialkowski but struck the outside of his right post. Referee Stuart Attwell awarded a corner much to the surprise of the Blues players.

Two minutes later, Tabb was booked for a foul on Dicko, who required treatment on the pitch before continuing. The home crowd felt the challenge might have been worth more than just a yellow and the Blues midfielder was booed each time he touched the ball prior to referee Attwell’s whistle ending the half, signalling more boos.

While the Blues had found the pace of Dicko in particular hard to handle and Wolves had presented the greater threat for the most part, the home side had been prevented from creating many significant chances - with Berra usually the man in the way - prior to Town going in front.

The somewhat fortunate goal rather quietened Wolves down until Edwards’s late volley off the post.

A minute after the restart Dicko should have put his side back on terms, but headed Bakary Sako’s freekick from deep on the left into the side-netting at the far post. On 49 Dicko failed to get Dominic Iorfa’s low cross from under his feet and Bishop cleared.

The home side had begun the second half very much on top and a minute later they levelled. Van La Parra cut into the area on the left having been found by Kevin McDonald and hit a shot which deflected off Smith and across the area to the far post from where Afobe got ahead of Tyrone Mings to stab home.

It was the former Arsenal striker's 31st goal of the season and his 12th since joining Wolves in January.

In the 53rd minute Sears unleashed a 30-yard effort but Ikeme was able to comfortably block and then claim.

Wolves continued to have most of the ball and take the game to Town but without being able to create any more major chances. At the other end, the Blues had been unable to make much of an impact, all too often long balls forward for the front two were cut out.

Wolves switched James Henry for van La Parra on 64, then two minutes later Parr made way for Paul Anderson for the Blues.

Berra superbly slid in and took the ball away from Afobe as he broke into the area on 71, then within a minute stopped Dicko in his tracks as he reached the byline on the right.

Sears scuffed a rare Town effort wide in the 73rd minute, then a minute later ex-Wolves man Hunt replaced Bishop in the Blues midfield, Tabb moving to the centre.

The Irishman, who was applauded by his old fans as he made his way onto the field, immediately shot high and wide from distance.

Berra yet again thwarted Dicko in the 76th minute, the Blues centre-half sliding in to block after Afobe had fed his team-mate inside the area.

As the game moved towards its final 10 minutes Town started to have more of the ball in the Wolves half. On 80 Mings took a quick throw on the left but Hunt’s low cross was cut out ahead of Tabb.

But the home side were still a threat, Smith doing well to hold off Afobe to allow a wind-assisted punt down the middle to reach Bialkowski. Chris Wood replaced Sears for the final scheduled seven minutes.

Sako smashed a freekick into the Town wall on 85, from which the Blues broke and Wood curled a low shot not too far wide from the edge of the box. On 88 Dicko was booked for a foul on Chambers.

Wolves had one more chance to win it two minutes into injury time but Dicko was unable to get anything on Edwards’s scuffed shot from the right of the area.

Town boss Mick McCarthy will be happy enough with another battling away point with the home side having largely been on the front foot.

Typically staunch defending from man of the match Berra in particular meant that despite having most of the ball Wolves created only a limited number of chances. At the other end, the Blues only rarely threatened home keeper Ikeme.

Town are certain to end the day in sixth regardless of results elsewhere and have moved up to 75 points, equal with fifth-placed Derby, who are away at Huddersfield.

Wolves are now seventh, three points behind the Blues and a point in front of Brentford in eighth.

Wolves: Ikeme, Iorfa, Batth (c), Stearman, Golbourne, van La Parra (Henry 64), McDonald, Edwards, Sako, Afobe, Dicko. Unused: McCarey, Doherty, Doyle, Price, Ebanks-Landell, Jacobs.

Town: Bialkowski, Chambers (c), Mings, Berra, Skuse, Bishop (S Hunt 74), Parr (Anderson 66), Tabb, Murphy, Sears (Wood 83). Unused: Gerken, Fryers, Chaplow, Williams. Referee: Stuart Attwell (Warwickshire). Attendance: 23,409.


Photo: Action Images



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Chicago_Blue added 14:27 - Apr 18
A point gained. However I can't help but think they were there for the taking.
2

unknown100 added 14:29 - Apr 18
Well... Don't like the fact we play a full back and a poor centre midfielder in the wide areas, better wingers would add such better shape and help us retain possession as wingers,I didn't think we played well, I don't think we've played well all season, Berra is literally our saviour.

Most frustrating thing is when we actually pass the ball we are pretty good but they are obviously told to go long, I hate the style of football we play but it's not going to change with 2 games to go and we either get promoted or have a fairly good squad to build on, hopefully we get some good midfielders with a bit of investment, sort out playing the right formation and go from there
17

GiveusaWave added 14:30 - Apr 18
What a game from Berra!
21

Scribble added 14:30 - Apr 18
Can't believe how bad Parr was today, could never get the ball out of his feet and barely completed a pass.
-1

dagenhamtown added 14:31 - Apr 18
to be fair a hard earned point.looking at the game and the thing that worrys me is the real lack of quality we possess our midfield has no creatability at all but that is not to say i thought skuse was excellent today.we never look like scoring and that is a real worry under macarthey.if we do go up we must invest in a lot of areas as what we have is knowwhere near good enough.that is my moan cracking point come on you blues love ya.
10

mrivancampo added 14:32 - Apr 18
Very disappointed. Should have gone for the win and we would have been clear. Also Sears performance not great, wood would have been better option. Lucky to get a draw in the end
-22

masetheace added 14:33 - Apr 18
More whinging again . Have you guys noticed we are in the top six . Lots of others would be happy . Get real - with the resources we've been given thats a great season so far
13

ianmarshall10 added 14:33 - Apr 18
Not the best performance by town but great effort for the point was a nervous last 10.... Cmon you trotters!!
6

Cakeman added 14:37 - Apr 18
Well pleased with point as we weren't at our best and Wolves just had to go for it.
Berra was excellent and Bart made a tremendous important save low down to his right in the first half.
Our strikers were isolated for much of the game but not complaining, a very good point.
7

ShropshireBluenago09 added 14:37 - Apr 18
Berra MOM, but MM needs to give Mings a kick up the a@se, looked disinterested since Xmas.
For an away performance against a rival, we didn't do too bad, but will need to be much better for the playoffs.
22

ScottITFC14 added 14:38 - Apr 18
Loved Sears running all the way back to our corner flag in the first half to help the defence shield Sako out of play. What a player he is!
21

bobble added 14:41 - Apr 18
good result that keeps one of the 2 teams that can catch us 3 pts behind with a far inferior goal difference...
3

commuterblue added 14:41 - Apr 18
Phil aren't we 4 points ahead of Brentford, so we will definitely be sixth today. The BBC table has this being the case
1

DurhamTownFan added 14:43 - Apr 18
They're a good side, so I think we can be fairly happy with the draw. It's certainly better than losing, given the current table! It was pretty ugly between about 45 and 70 minutes, though. I felt we played some tidy stuff after that, when they threw everything at us and we got on the counter. Can't help thinking that we might have nicked it if we'd left Sears and Bishop on.

This is an excellent result if we win vs Forest. If we want to finsih top six, we have to win that one!
6

Keaneish added 14:45 - Apr 18
That performance was criminal. 'We're going for the win' - are you having a laugh? That performance was turgid. I'll take a point all day long but that performance was an abomination and a crime against football. Long balls to Murph from the back 4, balls in the channels to chase down, flick-ons, second balls, sideways passing...the list goes on...

I want an Ipswich side to play football. Is that too much to ask???
Would anyone notice the difference if Graham Taylor was in charge????
10

gorse added 14:46 - Apr 18
Hard-earned draw but would have liked to see more ambition, given a lukewarm Wolves performance. We offered little but Wolves lacked tempo and venom (once Dicko had calmed down after the first half) and they never looked comfortable being pressed high. Would not have guessed it was a must-win for them.

Defensively thought we were very good and that was obviously the priority for the game – which was fortunate given our forward passing was often shocking. Berra deserved MoM but lots of sub-standard performances elsewhere, Parr, Mings, Tabb well off the boil passing forward. Unwelcome return of unforced errors, though fortunately none (maybe one) in our box. Lots of passes gifted to Wolves who really didn't look like they were making it especially difficult for us.

First half we offered very little, Bish & Sears barely touched the ball, poor passing but long ball working occasionally, abs nothing happening on the right side of the pitch as per. Second half was largely worse going forward, Wolves surprisingly limp after scoring. Subs were able to exploit space and pull them around a bit later on, much better pass & move but that's not saying much. Wanted to see Williams!

Would have taken a point of course, but can't help feeling three was not unreasonable. Still, job done, great effort lads, COYB!
8

bgexile added 14:47 - Apr 18
Berra was immense. Skuse and Tabb were very busy. But Bishop seemed totally off his game, hardly involved at all. Anderson, when he came on, hardly touched the ball.
A good point I suppose, but I too thought Wolves were there for the taking. If only we had someone out wide who could run at them...
3

StochesStotasBlewe added 14:48 - Apr 18
Berra immense. Poor game, but limited Wolves to very few good chances. Good point, hopefully Bolton will turn up at Brentford later.
4

Lightningboy added 14:50 - Apr 18
Dear oh dear..great point but jeeeeez..the contrast in football between now and the Burley days is frightening.

Mick gets results but seriously,how many of you are satisfied with the standard of "football" this season at times?..be honest...it's the poorest I can remember for 25+ years.

Thought some of our players were awful at times today,couldn't string 3 passes together (again)..just hoofing it forward at every opportunity.

The only 2 to come out with any credit for me were Berra ( who was outstanding) & Sears.

Sorry to moan but I want better for my club.
22

whittonite added 14:50 - Apr 18
we seem to have a problem of not being able to play simple passes,we work very hard but sometimes we work too hard chasing our mistakes. we break up play,put two or three passes together,we loose it,we regain it in a position where we can take pressure off ourselves,and instead of playing a simple ball it's either a long hoof which you know is coming straight back or we try the complex intricate passes.when we did keep possesion we looked decent.too many stray balls for my liking
12

chepstowblue added 14:54 - Apr 18
Got more than we deserved so its a very good point. Very poor in possession but incredibly resilient. A good job Wolves were well below par as we were there for the taking.Without Berra I shudder to think. The only player in the side who is irreplaceable.
6

Cloddyseedbed added 14:55 - Apr 18
Not surprised or too disappointed at the result but it still nip and tuck and will be a nervous finish to the season, but we're still in playoffs. Don't think we played no where near as good as we did last home game and in the 2nd half gave them too much room to run at us. Thought Mings had another nervous/poor game today and was surprised to hear Bishops name after 60 minutes, I hadn't realised he was on the pitch. Far more positive when Hunt was introduced. Pity Ipswich aren't as effective as Wolves in the wide positions, they looked far more threatening than us in the final 3rd..
3

RegencyBlue added 14:56 - Apr 18
At this stage of the season and in our position its all about getting points.

Not a classic by any means but look at the Wolves players and fans on the TV after the match. They were gutted and will find it difficult to raise themselves again after that.
8

purplealien added 14:58 - Apr 18
I thought it was a decent performance. We lost our way a little in the first part of the second half and Parr should have come off earlier; he had run out of steam.

The game plan was to contain after we got our noses in front, and we managed to largely nulify Wolves and stop them building any momentum. The problem was we seemed to catch the maliase a little too, and things got a bit untidy in midfield.

I felt confident we could have found another gear if we'd needed to in the second half and put their goal under pressure had we decided to.

Great performance from Berra and thanks to Richard Stearman, secret agent :-)
5

jas0999 added 15:00 - Apr 18
Well, I am disappointed. Mick said we were going there to win the game. That surely wasn't the case? One up at half time without having a shot on goal! That said, wolves weren't much better. For me, we have hard working players, but even now it's seems obvious that we need just a bit more quality in the midfield. Wide areas not great today. Tabb and Parr are hard workers, but one is a defender and the other lacks the quality that other promotion chasing teams have. I really do think we should have gone there and attacked them, but it was nonetheless a decent defensive away showing. A point is a point and will be good if Brentford fail to win.
5


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