"Plus ça change, plus c'est le meme chose", as those Frenchies say. So here we are for Wolves' first ever match in the Coca Cola Championship but on the familiar territory of English football's second tier, starting as bookies favourites (but under-confident and weakened), against a team who hate us (and who are heavy on organisation and light on skill).

Pre-season transfer activity saw more movement out of Molineux than in. It's the vogue this year to run with a smaller squad, but we seem to have taken the trend too much to heart. Therefore we start with a centre back who was recruited - apparently in haste - only a few days ago (Bjorklund). And up front we have Sturridge (who only seems to be good for teams in his first season with them) and Miller - who wants to leave. The omens were all there

For the first couple of minutes Wolves started well and seemed to be poking the ball around quite well. But slowly and relentlessly Stoke started to dominate and look dangerous. Early on an over-hit cross from the Stoke left wing flew over everyone and presented Russell with a golden opportunity, but fortunately enough for us he fired wide.

Akinbyi was proving a handfull for our new centre-back pairing, which is a bit of a worry. He's hardly Dwight Yorke is he?

There were few Wolves attacks and they tended to break down far away from the box. One of the few exceptions was a Miller header that de Goey did well to save.

Then came a bizarre incident that was perhaps more worrying than the final result. A Stoke corner was whipped into the Wolves' box and Thomas was presented with a clear header but he completely missed the ball. There followed as aggressive an argument you are likely to see on a football field - but it was between two Wolves players, Miller and (I think) Clyde. The ref took the two of them aside and the next thing we saw was Sturridge heading back to the dressing room. We feared that he'd been sent off, but we heard later that he just needed a new contact lens.

Wolves were looking like a bit of a mess and Stoke really did look like they would score any minute - but luckily for us they had Akinbyi up front. Wolves were sliced apart on a number of occasions, but one in particular saw a nailed-on chance for Akinbyi. A cross from the Stoke right wing found the dread-locked Stoke forward only a few feet from the line. But he scuffed his shot and the ball squirmed free - then Jones saved well from a follow-up shot by Neal.

One of the few bright spots for Wolves was Olofinjana. After a slow start, he looked strong and tidy in the challenge, and he distributed the ball well. He must have been wondering what he's let himself in for.

Half time Stoke 0 Wolves 0

In view of what happened later it seems strange, but Wolves started the second half very well. We started passing the ball well and we suddenly seemed up for it. Clark was on for the injured Sturridge and he 'put himself about' well. Cameron very nearly opened the scoring for Wolves when he played a magnificent one-two with Miller to split open the Stoke defence. But de Goey saved well from Cameron's shot from just inside the Stoke area.

Then came the goal that we were expecting in the first half. One of many long balls up to Akinbyi was cut out by Bjorklund, but his clearance fell perfectly for Russell on the edge of the box. He unleashed a pin-point perfect shot which beat Jones and went into the Wolves goal off the foot of the post. Stoke 1 Wolves 0 - Wolves visibly deflated

Wolves had no answer and they returned to their poor form of the first half. There were few signs of hope from Wolves. Even Olofinjana seemed to go down a level and I even saw him misplace a pass. The only chink of light was Miller who seemed particularly up for it (was he trying to impress a potential buyer?) At one point he left two Stoke defenders for dead cut into the box and was blatantly tripped. But the ref didn't give a penalty - if that was the Premiership and one of the favourite teams then it would have been a sure-fire spot kick. What happened next makes it even more difficult to live with

Another nothing ball up to Akinbyi and Clyde (who was now playing at centre back) was adjudged to have brought him down. It seemed an unbelievably harsh decision, and it was one that given by the ref not by the linesman (who was nearer). Stoke's Clarke (Clive) stepped up and fired a poor penalty which Jones should have stopped, but he didn't. Stoke 2 Wolves 0

Wolves really had no response and we really did look like a rudderless ship without Ince. When Wolves did make the breakthrough it was from another penalty decision from the ref - this time for us. A corner in was needlessly handled by one of their defenders. Miller stepped up to the spot - and after a massive wait (what a ref!) - he coolly fired an unstoppable penalty into the top right hand corner. Stoke 2 Wolves 1

So the script was set for Wolves' new hero to rescue a point from the jaws of defeat? Well unfortunately it was not to be. After some good build up play from Newton the ball came to Olofinjana on the edge of the area and just when I was expecting a miracle he fired well over the bar.

All that was left was a good piece of slapstick when Jones - trying to retrieve the ball and fire it quickly up the other end - repeatedly tripped over the ball in a Chaplinesque-fashion. Marvellous.

This was a poor performance and it doesn't bode well for the rest of the season. Yet again another pre-season has been wasted - with all we have to show for it is some injured players. Stoke were fitter, quicker, better organised and more up for it. I think that this season is make-or-break for Dave Jones. It's only one game, but he doesn't yet seem to have learned from his mistakes. I'm glad that family commitments mean that I won't be able to see too many games this season. I fear that this season will just be too painful....

Full time Stoke 2 Wolves 1