Wolves' slender hopes of survival in the Barclaycard Premiership are all but
over as they drew 2-2 at neighbours Birmingham in a game they realistically
needed a win.
Colin Cameron had given the visitors a sixth-minute lead, although goals from
Mikael Forssell and Clinton Morrison meant the hosts were 2-1 in front by
half-time.
Carl Cort restored parity by tapping home after a fumble from Birmingham
keeper Maik Taylor but the draw leaves the Molineux outfit still marooned at the
bottom of the table, six points from safety with only nine left to play for.
The tone for a barnstorming first half had been set by Wolves, who took the
lead in the sixth minute following a well-worked free-kick from the left which
found its way to Colin Cameron, loitering with intent on the edge of Blues'
penalty area.
A snappy one-two with Henri Camara was all which was needed to beat the
Birmingham defence before Cameron found the top corner of Maik Taylor's net with
a glorious right-foot curler.
Just before the quarter-hour, the hosts squandered a glorious chance to level
as Stephen Clemence fired wide when one-on-one against keeper Paul Jones before
Wolves threatened again in the 20th minute.
Cameron swept the ball out to the left where Camara's canny turn left Martin
Taylor for dead, although Matthew Upson managed to close the door on the
livewire striker.
And after Lazaridis had chanced his arm with an effort charged down by a host
of willing defenders, Camara once more burst clear but lashed his left-foot
drive wide before the half-hour was up.
But Blues restored parity in the 34th minute when Clinton Morrison's nod-on,
completed at no little cost to the Birmingham frontman, found Forssell in the
Wolves penalty box.
There had appeared plenty of work still to do but the on-loan Chelsea front
man side-stepped his way around the Wolves defence before leaving keeper Jones
on his backside and slotting the ball from an acute angle.
And Morrison was soon on the scoresheet himself after running unchallenged
into the box from the right channel, latching onto a pass from Forssell and
sliding the ball under Jones.
Robbie Savage also went close but his 25-yard free-kick hit the post rather
than the back of the net as half-time approached.
Hostilities were resumed immediately after the break as Forssell swayed away
from Isaac Okoronkwo and then Paul Ince before seeing his shot deflected for a
corner.
With Wolves once more on the rack it was Morrison who was responsible for
Blues' next tilt, blocked by Okoronkwo, after Lazaridis set the visiting defence
backpeddling following a direct dribble down the middle of the park.
At the other end, a half-hearted penalty appeal following Jamie Clapham's
challenge on Camara was waved away by referee Mike Dean before Blues had the
ball in the net again in the 68th minute but Forssell's strike, bundled in via
the knee from Morrison's cross, was disallowed after the latter was ruled
offside.
Then, with 15 minutes to go, Wolves hit back against the run of play after
Savage had been penalised for a challenge on Camara.
Kennedy took responsibility for a thunderous 30-yard shot goalwards from the
set-piece and although Maik Taylor stooped to collect, the Blues keeper could
only fumble the ball into the path of Cort who was gifted the easiest of
close-range finishes.
But the Blues keeper was surer of his touch late on when he comfortably
collected Vio Ganea's weak header and a long-range effort from substitute Alex
Rae.
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