Nervous Wolves ended up hanging on desperately after appearing to be cruising
to victory against injury-hit QPR.
Three goals ahead by the 29th minute, Wolves conceded two in the final 11 and
went agonisingly close to throwing away a couple of crucial points.
Gavin Peacock started the alarm bells ringing when he cleverly lobbed over
advancing keeper Michael Oakes from close-range after fellow substitute Steve
Slade had knocked the ball into the Wolves' area.
Wolves were even more on edge two minutes from time when Slade rolled the ball
into an empty net after Oakes had saved well from the clean-through Richard
Langley.
From then on, it was a case of all hands to the pumps as Wolves packed their
area to try to protect their victory, which was ensured only after Stuart
Wardley had fired wide from 15 yards and Slade had shot straight at Oakes from
near the edge of the area.
It was a nonsense that Wolves should have to cling on for their second
successive 3-2 league victory for they had been well in control after a blast of
three goals in seven minutes midway through the first half.
They were set on their way in the 22nd minute when Neil Emblen headed on an
Andy Sinton corner with his first touch after going on as sub for Simon Osborn
and Steve Sedgley swept home from close range.
It was Sedgley's fourth goal in five games and he had converted a penalty in a
shoot-out against Sheffield Wednesday in the other.
Wolves quickly built on their advantage and recent capture Michael Branch
finished superbly when he beat advancing keeper Lee Harper to a through-ball by
Kevin Muscat, lobbed him and then headed into the unguarded net.
And Wolves seemed home and dry in the 29th minute when Darren Bazeley's
through-ball reached leading scorer Ade Akinbiyi, who crashed a stunning
right-foot shot that dipped over the diving Harper and into the far corner of
the net from just inside the angle of the penalty area.
Wolves, although uncertain at the start of a second half in which Rangers
introduced Slade and Peacock following their wretched first 45 minutes, had the
chances to make the game safe.
Emblen drove straight at Harper from 20 yards and Akinbiyi could not quite
make room for a shot on the turn from close-range.
But Rangers, who had produced a sensational comeback from 4-0 down at Port
Vale a few years ago, sensed another major revival and Slade was denied by a
fine save from Oakes in the 52nd minute.
In the end, Rangers paid the penalty for their defensive selection problems
but their spirited fightback was so close to saving the day.
Teams
Wolverhampton: Oakes, Muscat, Curle, Pollet, Naylor, Bazeley,
Osborn (Emblen 21), Sedgley, Sinton, Akinbiyi,
Branch (Robinson 90).
Subs Not Used: Simpson, Green, Stowell.
Goals: Sedgley 22, Branch 23, Akinbiyi 29.
QPR: Harper, Darlington, Ward, McGovern, Bruce (Peacock 45),
Baraclough, Wardley, Murray (Slade 45), Langley, Kiwomya,
Koejoe (Rowland 75).
Subs Not Used: Miklosko, Kulcsar.
Goals: Peacock 79, Slade 89.
Att: 20,069
Ref: S Mathieson (Stockport).
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