Wolves rekindled their play-off hopes with a polished win over relegation-threatened Scunthorpe at Glanford Park.

David Edwards and Sylvain Ebanks-Blake both scored their first goals for Mick McCarthy's men to ease pressure which had been building on the manager after a poor sequence of results, culminating in last Saturday's home defeat to Crystal Palace.

Edwards, who only signed from Luton on Monday, scored after just eight minutes of his debut, while Ebanks-Blake, on only his second Wolves outing, made sure of the win 45 seconds after the interval.

It was no more than they deserved as, a couple of poor Scunthorpe misses apart, they dominated the game.

McCarthy opted to start with the attacking quartet of Ebanks-Blake, Stephen Elliott, Ryan Jarvis and Andy Keogh and, in return, saw his side end a run of eight league matches without a win.

The writing was on the wall for Scunthorpe, who have not won at home for four months, as early as the fourth minute when Joe Murphy had to save well from Jarvis who had played a neat one-two with Keogh.

Keogh, making his return to Glanford Park, was outstanding in attack and it was he who set up the opener for Edwards.

After Jarvis had sliced through Cliff Byrne and Matt Sparrow he squared to find Keogh who took the ball in and shifted it across to Edwards, who drove low under the body of Murphy.

Scunthorpe's Andy Crosby and Ian Morris were both guilty of poor finishing; the former slicing wide at the back post when well set and Morris slipping wide of the upright when in on Wayne Hennessey's goal.

Wolves remained more ruthless in attack though and Murphy had to produce a fine save to tip over a header from Ebanks-Blake and Keogh also tested Murphy with a shot from the edge of the area after out-pacing Crosby.

Hennessey made his only save of the half when he blocked well from Paul Hayes shortly before half-time, but again, Wolves produced a chance of more substance and Byrne had to throw himself in the way of Jarvis' goal-bound effort after a strong run from Ebanks-Blake.

Regardless of what Adkins told his side during the interval, it lost its value 45 seconds after the restart when Wolves doubled their lead.

Edwards helped a long ball forward and Ebanks-Blake, as sharp as in the first half, out-muscled Crosby and lifted a shot over the advancing Murphy and into the net.

As in the first period, Scunthorpe were unable to create anything of substance in response, with Jack Cork and Grant McCann both trying their luck from distance and Hayes somehow scooping an effort away from the goal when a loose ball fell to him.

A superb recovery save from Murphy then denied Ebanks-Blake a second after he combined superbly with Jarvis to fashion a chance for him to power a low effort goalwards.

Keogh also wasted a good chance after he worked an opening for himself and Ebanks-Blake went close again when he spun Crosby and fired wide.

Teams:

Scunthorpe Murphy, Byrne (McCann 56), Crosby, Martis, Williams, Sparrow, Cork, Morris, Hurst (Forte 49), Paterson, Hayes (May 56).

Subs Not Used: Lillis, Butler.

Booked: Byrne, Sparrow.

Wolverhampton Hennessey, Foley, Darren Ward, Collins, Gray (Rob Edwards 57), Jarvis, Henry, David Edwards, Elliott, Keogh, Ebanks-Blake (Stephen Ward 88).

Subs Not Used: Stack, Potter, Eastwood.

Booked: David Edwards, Ebanks-Blake.

Goals: David Edwards 8, Ebanks-Blake 46.

Att: 7,465

Ref: Mike Russell (Hertfordshire).