So only one trip to Cardiff this season then?

Wolves travelled to Southampton for the last quarter-final of the FA Cup weekend. With two First Division clubs already in the semi-finals, Dave Jones ready to exorcise the ghosts of his previous employment, and the Sky cameras ready to roll, everything looked set for a thumping cup tie. Unfortunately what followed was something of an anti-climax.

The impact that Chris Marsden would have on this match was evident early on. A cross from the right side was headed narrowly over the Wolves goal by the ex-Wolves man.

Wolves' best chance of the half came in the 14th minute. Kennedy saw his cross shot well saved by Antti Niemi who was much busier in the first half than his Wolves counterpart.

Wolves later had a great 10 minutes passage of play. Miller saw an overhead kick go over the bar and Cameron was audacious when he attempted to lob the Saints' keeper.

Overall though defences were largely on top in the first half and Lescott kept Beattie particularly quiet. Lescott put in a performance that won't have gone unnoticed by other managers who happened to be watching Sky Sports.

HT Southampton 0 Wolves 0

Southampton noticeably moved up a gear in the second half. They were moredirect than in the first half and Wolves were increasingly losing the upper hand in midfield. Marsden and Bridge down the left were particularly aggressive and did plenty to trouble Wolves. Marsden seemed to be everywhere, but always at a walking pace - did he ever play that well when he was at Wolves? - and his reward was to come later in the half.

Just before Marsden's goal, Beattie should have given Saints the lead from a short corner but the prolific striker headed over. You sensed that Southampton were turning the screw on Wolves.

On 56 minutes, after a half clearance of a Saints corner, Marsden found himself with back to goal, and he flicked the ball back over his head. Murray, partially unsighted by Beattie, could only see the ball squirm under his grasp. Jones later described it as a 'soft' goal. Southampton 1 Wolves 0

Shortly after, a clash in the Wolves penalty box saw Andrews fall awkwardly. He was carried off with a suspected broken leg. Rae replaced Andrews and was obviously keen to make an impact on the game but he was to be disappointed.

Saints came looking for a killer goal. Lescott got himself in a mix-up out on the right by-line by Ormerod and appeared to bring the Saints striker down. Calls for a penalty were waved away by the referee who most have adjudged Lescott to have got more of the ball than it first appeared.

With nine minutes left, any hope Wolves had of getting something out of the tie were extinguished. Tessem crossed the ball low from the right, Beattie missed it but the ball ricocheted off Paul Butler's legs into the net. Game over. Southampton 2 Wolves 0

The lack of response to Saints in the second half was the most disappointing aspect of this game. Wolves lacked the flair and flamboyance that had been so apparent in earlier rounds of this Cup campaign. Newton was particularly ineffective. They also missed the big-game experience of Ince and the pace of Ndah. This was a totally different kind of game to the three previous home ties and as soon as Southampton had made the break through you sensed that Wolves - or Jones? - wouldn't quite have the answers to get back into it.

The challenge now is how everyone responds to this anti-climatic exit. Wolves now have to focus on the pursuit of league points, starting as early as Wednesday evening at Reading. With less than a dozen games left, Wolves can ill afford a FA Cup hangover. But we can still dream of Cardiff....

FT Southampton 2 Wolves 0