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Wolves 2-1 Crystal Palace – Full Report
By JOEL REED at Molineux
Carl Cort struck an 85th minute goal to hand Wolverhampton Wanderers a priceless victory over promotion favourites Crystal Palace and extend his team’s outstanding unbeaten league run to 20 matches, a feat which was last produced back in 1923.
It was 82 years ago, when George Jobey was manager of the Molineux outfit, when Wolves last clocked up 20 undefeated league matches in a row, but over eight decades on, Cort gleefully headed past Eagles keeper Gabor Kiraly six minutes from time to tear up the history book and condemn his opponents to their second defeat of the new Championship season.
Crystal Palace, who were relegated from the Premiership on the final day of last season, could not have began this crunch match much worse, as with four minutes gone, South Korean international forward Seol handed the hosts the lead, when he pounced on Cort’s cross.
Against the run of play Jobi McAnuff levelled the scores three minutes from the interval as his well-taken strike from the edge of the Wolves penalty-area pegged Palace back in to contention.
But Cort stole the headlines, as his headed goal after 85 minutes via a substantial deflection off Eagles central defender Darren Ward, ensured Wolves secured their first win of the season and made it four points out of a possible six, following two games against opposition who played in English football’s top-tier last term.
Wolves, who were still searching for their first goal of the season, following a 0-0 draw with Southampton last Saturday, didn’t have to wait long for a break through, as after a good opening spell of pressure they broke the deadlock after four minutes.
The Crystal Palace defence, who were responsible for conceding two goals in their shock 2-1 defeat to Championship new boys Luton last weekend, were found wanting once again as former Newcastle United hit-man Cort weaved his way in to the penalty-area, before laying off a cross in to the centre, where a sleeping Eagles backline failed to spot Seol ghosting in to smash the ball home.
Glenn Hoddle’s side were literally dominating the proceedings and summer signing Rohan Ricketts forced Kiraly, wearing his trademark grey jogging bottoms, in to a save, when the midfielder let fly from 25 yards.
England international striker Andy Johnson had hoped to try and earn a place in his manager Sven-Goran Eriksson’s 2006 World Cup squad this season playing at Crystal Palace, but the forward for vast parts of this encounter was kept easily in check by Wanderers central defender Joleon Lescott, who provoked chants of "easy" from the home fans every time he won the ball off his opponent.
But after 30 minutes Johnson showed the sort of form which aided him in scoring 21 goals in the Premiership last season, he picked up a loose ball in the Wolves penalty-area and instinctively struck a fierce left-footed effort in to the top-right-hand corner which Oakes did outstandingly well to palm away.
Minutes later Johnson struck a cleverly crafted free-kick, which involved a number of step-overs from his tem-mates, before he turned on a pivot and struck his 22 yard shot inches over the bar.
Following a spell of pressure from Palace, Wolves managed to once again dominate the final few minutes of the half, but with three minutes to go before half-time, Palace totally against the run of play were back in the game with the softest of goals.
Winger Jobi McAnuff pounced on the slightest bit of hesitation from defensive partners Joleon Lescott and Jody Craddock, making himself some space before he thumped a blistering shot past a bemused Oakes in to the bottom-left-hand corner of the goal.
Following the restart Wolves struggled to exercise their iron fist on to the proceedings as they did earlier in the game, but Hoddle sensing the game was falling out of his team’s favour he brought on rookie striker Leon Clarke for the fading Seol and the match was reignited.
Clarke immediately whipped in a curling cross from the left, which was met by a superb volley from Kenny Miller on the edge of the six-yard box, who struck his shot against the right-hand post.
With 78 minutes played Hoddle made a second substitution and the Wolves supporters brought the house down.
George Ndah has unbelievably been sidelined for two-years with chronic hamstring and thigh injuries, with his last Wolves appearance coming in the first-leg play-off victory over Reading in May 2003, but tonight the striker made his surprise long awaited league return replacing Miller with unbelievable results.
Ndah quite literally turned the game on its head, with a series of crowd pleasing attacking runs which oozed with promise and he was unfortunate not be handed the chance to score, when he and Clarke broke together but Clarke’s cross across the penalty-area was smothered by a diving Kiraly.
With six minutes remaining Wolves deservedly snatched all three points as 6ft 4in Cort rose to meet a cross from the right and his powerful header came off the luckless Ward to deflect past Kiraly in to the net.
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