Wolves kept alive their faint hopes of finishing in the play-offs with an
uninspiring win against Burnley at Molineux.
Kenny Miller broke the deadlock with a fine finish seven minutes from the
break and captain Paul Ince settled Wolves' nerves with a brilliant long-range
effort on the hour after a period of sustained pressure from the visitors.
Burnley defender John McGreal was sent off in stoppage time to compound a
miserable evening for the visitors.
Both sides had an outside chance of finishing in the top six at the start of
the game which probably accounted for a cagey opening.
Wolves nearly broke the deadlock in the seventh minute when Ince was fouled 35
yards out by John McGreal, only for Brian Jensen to make a full-stretch save to
tip Lee Naylor's dipping free-kick over the crossbar.
From Mark Kennedy's resulting corner Jody Craddock just nipped in front of a
defender only for on-loan defender Gary Cahill to clear off the line.
The home side managed to work an opening in the 19th minute when Mark Kennedy
and impressive midfielder Seyi George Olofinjana combined well down the left for
Naylor to send in a dangerous cross.
Burnley defender Mo Camara cleared the ball straight to Ki-Hyeon Seol standing
just outside the area but his shot flew over.
Naylor created a good chance in the 33rd minute with a low, hard cross which
skimmed across the six-yard box for Carl Cort, who could only direct the ball
straight into the arms of Jensen.
But Miller broke the deadlock with his 17th goal of the season - his fourth in
as many matches - in the 38th minute.
Ince floated in a free-kick for Scotland striker Miller, who did well to hold
off his marker before squeezing the ball beyond keeper Brian Jensen.
Steve Cotterill must have fired up his troops in the dressing room as Peter
Whittingham forced Michael Oakes into his first save of the game 45 seconds into
the second half.
Bowditch, who joined the Clarets on a month's loan from promotion-chasing
Ipswich, cleared the bar with a rising drive as the Lancastrians pressed hard
for an equaliser.
But, just as Burnley were starting to entertain thoughts of grabbing a
leveller, captain Ince sealed the points with great strike.
The former Inter Milan midfielder fooled the defence by allowing the ball to
run across his body before unleashing an unstoppable 25-yard piledriver beyond
Jensen.
Seol fluffed a couple of chances to extend the lead with shots from outside
the area before referee Carl Boyeson booked Ince and McGreal in the 72nd minute
after the pair went head to head.
Wolves boss Glenn Hoddle brought on on-loan midfielder Rohan Ricketts for his
debut 11 minutes from time as a replacement for Miller.
Ricketts showed a neat array of touches in his brief spell on the pitch, but
it was Seol who should have put the result beyond doubt in the final minute but
he failed to connect with Naylor's cross.
Burnley's misery was complete when McGreal received a red card for hauling
down Naylor, who had been sent clear by Olifenjana.
Referee Boyeson showed McGreal his second yellow card, but Ince fired the
resulting free-kick over the bar.
Teams
Wolverhampton Oakes, Edwards, Lescott, Craddock, Naylor,
Olofinjana, Seol, Ince, Kennedy, Cort, Miller (Ricketts 79).
Subs Not Used: Jones, Andrews, Cooper, Clarke.
Booked: Ince.
Goals: Miller 38, Ince 60.
Burnley Jensen, Sinclair, Cahill, McGreal, Camara, Oster,
Grant, Hyde, Whittingham (Branch 71), Valois (Moore 64),
Bowditch (Duff 85).
Subs Not Used: Coyne, Roche.
Sent Off: McGreal (90).
Booked: McGreal.
Att: 24,336
Ref: C Boyeson (E Yorkshire).
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