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Wolves 2 Birmingham 1 16/12/2001 |
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| Report by Fat Stat
After a whole series of very disappointing results (I am not going to mention our last home match) this really didn't look like a match that we were going to leave happy. Brum's recent form was good (undefeated in four games), ours was bad; our home form was bad; we had never won directly after a league defeat this season; and they had a new manager - the ultra loyal Steve "I'm staying here, honest" Bruce. Omens, Omens. Birmingham kicked off and almost immediately the game was stopped again after an appalling challenge by Woodhouse on Newton. I know that its not easy being a ref, but where is the consistency when Lescott can get sent off for a challenge which was no where near as bad as this and Woodhouse only gets a booking? It was an awful challenge, and it makes you wonder whether Brucey-boy had told them to tackle hard and wind us up. Or am I being too cynical? We were looking quite good in the opening exchanges, with Blake almost sending Sturridge through and Rae wasting a free kick by taking it too quickly. A good early chance was created when Robinson robbed one of their players in midfield and laid a through-ball to Sturridge that he just couldn't control. But Birmingham weren't lying down and a good cross by Lazaridis fell to Marcelo who was well shepherded out by Lescott. After a sustained period of Wolves' pressure the ball finally fell to Muscat who passed to Blake, whose shot on the turn was weak and just wide. Another chance came and went when Rae, after a good one-two with Blake sent in a cross which fell to Kennedy who sent in a good shot which the goalie saved. Then City had three good chances to take the lead. Lescott gave the ball away in the middle of the pitch and Birmingham broke forward only for Robinson - who had run nearly the length of the pitch - to take the ball off the toe of one of their players in our area. Then Marcelo got goal side of Lescott in our area but tumbled after the slightest of pressure instead of trying his luck with a shot. A shameless bit of diving to try and get a penalty for which he didn't get booked. Then Marcelo latched onto a through ball when Oakes missed it on the edge of his area. Faced with an open goal he made a pathetic attempt at a shot (or was it a cross?) which probably demonstrates why he prefered to fall over earlier. Still, it was a let off for Wolves - how would we respond? The answer wasn't too long in coming. The ball was given away by one off their players to Newton in midfield. Newton played the ball to Sturridge who held the ball up well and played Blake through. Newton's ball seemed to have sent Blake too far wide, but Blake beautifully chipped the on-rushing City keeper with his weaker right foot and into the back of the net. 1-0!! Almost straight away Birmingham equalised when our defence fell asleep. A throw in fell to Eden on the edge of our area who - with plenty of space - crossed to Marcelo who nicked the ball into the net. 1-1 Wolves responded well, and nearly grabbed another goal just before half-time. Rae robbed one of their players in the centre of the pitch (again!), played the ball to Sturridge who kept the ball and fed it through to Rae who - clean through - hit his shot at the legs of the keeper. Overall we played well against a lively Birmingham team who had created a few chances against us. Although Blake took his goal well, and the approach play between Blake and Sturridge was looking good, I think that both the confidence of both strikers seemed to evaporate when they got into or around the the box. Still, the crowd were in a positive mood, we'd got a goal from one of our strikers and it was 1-1 at half time. Surely we could take the second half? Rae started the second half the same way as he had ended the first. A pass to Blake was flicked on/stepped over to send Rae bursting through, only for him to blast his shot over the bar. Blake was getting some rough treatment from their defence. One time in particular hacked him down cynically, only to escape the refs attention becasue he had already been booked. This ref obviously had a different opinion to sending players off from the one we got against Man City midweek. We were dominating the play with a quickly taken free kick and a shot wide by Lazaridis their only chance of note until the final ten minutes. Our dominance was now threatening to pay off. A corner was swung in by Kennedy and one of their players nearly nodded it into his own net, but luckily for them it was cleared off the line. Sturridge headed on a free kick forcing a good save from their keeper. A Purse back header nearly fell to Sturridge, but their goalie was out quickly to take the ball from his feet. Then a deflected pass by Muscat fell to Blake who swept the ball out to Kennedy who took the ball into the box and drove in a low cross . Rae flicked the ball into the net at the near post - third time lucky and 2-1!! Straight away Ndah replaced Blake who was still feeling the effects on the brutal challenge by Purse. Birmingham attempted to step up a gear but only managed to get Marcelo and then Burrows booked for moaning at the ref. Camara came on for Kennedy, giving us some very pacey attacking options. We had a couple of chances to hit them on the break, with Camara's cross just eluding Ndah, and then a Naylor cross was hit just wide by Newton. In between a Rae back pass had nearly dropped Oakes in it, and Woodhouse had headed over but it wasn't until time added on that Birmingham really troubled us. There were plenty of sloppy moments, the best of which fell to Marcelo whose deflected shot well saved. A good win and a commanding performance in the second half. This was much more promising than other recent matches and the imminent introduction of Miller (who was paraded about at half time) can only mean good things are coming.
Attendance: 21,482
Goals: Wolves: Blake (38 mins), Rae (66 mins) Birmingham: Marcelo (40 mins)
Best Player : Rae (5 votes) Blake (2 votes) Lescott (1 vote)
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