Wolves 1 ITFC 1
An excellent away draw for Town, away at Molineux, at yesterday’s early (1215) Championship opening game.
I watched the game live on Sky tv and it was a tense and exciting game. Town started very well and really closed the Wolves players and pressed high and forced a few early corners. From one of these Tommy Smith pressured Wolves defender and ex Town loanee, Stearman into a headed own goal.
It was a very good start, but it stung Wolves into action and they slowly took a hold of the game with Afobe, Van La Parra, and Dicko gettting more ball and running at Town and putting in crosses and threatening Town. Unfortunately Town couldn’t match them, despite Murphy’s great efforts to hold the long ball up and try and play a pass to team mates moving up to give him support. Town though managed to get to half time still ahead.
Wolves came out in the second half with even more drive. Kevin McDonald for them, started making threatening plays and Town stood off him, and he took full advantage. Why didn’t Town close him down like they had done for the first part of the first half? Someone in the Town team (from the manager to the players) has to see where the opponents threats are coming from and do something to deal with them. Here it was like Town just let McDonald run the game in the second half?!
McDonald then slipped a great ball into the Town penalty area for Wolves’ Van La Parra, who ran on to it and shot at goal. The ball took a deflection but went to Afobe who scored with a good finish with Mings unable to make a block or tackle. Wolves then really set about Town and Dicko was a constant threat.
Thankfully, Christophe Berra had a great game for Town. He made several very important challenges and almost single handedly stopped Wolves scoring! Well not quite, but he played really well and was man of the match at the end.
I’ve already mentioned that Murphy played well and Sears did too and Sears had a couple of decent long range shots and constantly chased the Wolves back line and passes to their keeper.
It wasn’t his day though and he was subbed for Chris Woods who played alright and had a chance on a break away but his shot went wide. Teddy Bishop had played alright when he had the ball but was often chasing shadows as were the other Town midfielders, Tabb and Skuse. Wolves were very pacy and played a lot on the outside then driving in to goal or crossing. They proved a handful for all the Town midfielders and defenders alike, with Berra saving the Town time and time again. Skuse and Parr picked up bookings, having to resort to fouls to stop Wolves’ players getting past them into dangerous areas.
Anderson and Hunt came on for Parr and Tabb late in the second half and both played quite well for Town to see the game out with the 4 minutes of extra time. Town manager Mick McCarthy, did show he wanted to win the game with his 4-4-2 formation and putting Woods on, and maybe he should be praised for that?!
Well done Mick and team! It was a vital away point and overall a reasonable performance and a good result.
WELL PLAYED TOWN!
That point could prove very valuable with only 2 more games to go as Town are 3 points ahead of Wolves and Brentford and stay in the sixth play off place.
Town play Forest at home next Saturday and have Blackburn away the following Saturday and they must get results and points from these games to secure a promotion play of place. These are not easy games but Town have more reason to win them than Forest or Blackburn, neither of whom can get to the play offs and are playing solely to end the season well.
Goodluck Town…Dare to dream of a play off place and be committed to get the results needed to clinch a play off place.
COME ON YOU BLUES!