December 2005 Click on month for reports: 2005-6 ReviewApr06Mar06Feb06Jan06Dec05Nov05Oct05Sep05Aug05preseason

Sat 31st Dec Wolves 1 (Cameron) Plymouth 1

Dominant but unable to score.  Plymouth have one attack in the first half and score. It’s becoming too much of a familiar story.  However, this one could have been even worse when Hoddle took off arguably our best player for Seol (home debutant Maurice Ross, who previously had been very unimpressive at Watford) and we lost all our width.  Reintroducing Paul Ince at the same time seemed to confuse the defence and we spent the last ten minutes likely to concede and lose.  Very poor substitutions - and Glenn must take the blame for us not gaining all three points. Man of the Match then to the debutant (pictured on the left wearing #17)

We also witnessed the most abject striker’s performance in a Wolves shiirt for years from Leon Clarke.  The young lad, although performing in the reserves seems to have lost all confidence and his touch has completely deserted him.   Now he’s beginning to get the “Molineux faithful” on his back, so things will surely get worse for him.  Here he gets underneath an excellent cross from Mo Ross.  Glenn should have taken him off earlier. Equally worrying is that the fans websites were full of rumours that he had been seen drinking in Wolverhampon on Friday - which he has vehemently denied - he wasn’t even in Wolvo.  These fans attacks have been enough to see off players before. Let’s hope Leon comes through it.  Unfortunately Vio replacing him fared little better, but some of that was down to the later substitutions when all service from the wings dried up except when Kenny went wide..

But the goal was a real mix up with Joleon Lescott and Stefan Postma at the heart of it. Stefan was ready to come for Capaldi’s corner but Jo obstructed him as he headed the ball towards our goal. jo was quick to recover (pic 3) but was still beaten to the ball by Elliott Ward whose header cleared no fewer than 5 Wolves players on the line.

But it was Colin Cameron who again got us out of jail.   His undrestanding with Kenny Miller on fast one-two football is still the best in the team and it was a surging run by Kenny ending in a perfect pass to Cams that brought the equaliser and at last gave the team and fans something to celebrate

It could have all been very different. In the first minute a cracker of a shot from Darren Anderton, arguably another candidate for man-of-the-match, was turned round by Larrieu.  From the coner Jo got a really powerful header in but well saved by the goalie just under the bar. Mickey also came close while Darren saw the goalie off the line and hit the bar with a 25 yard chip.

and Kenny who worked really hard thought he had won a penalty but was denied by the Ref

Wolves: Postma, Ross (Seol 69), Gyepes, Huddlestone, Anderton (Ince 69), Lescott, Craddock, Cameron, Kennedy (capt), Miller, Clarke (Ganea 69). Unused subs: Oakes, Ricketts.

Booking: Miller (82 - foul).

Plymouth: Larrieu, Barness, Norris, Evans, Chadwick (Derbyshire 90), Doumbe, Capaldi, Wotton (capt), Ward, Connolly (Lasley 77), Jarrett. Unused subs: McCormick, Bazsaky, Aljofree.

Booking: Capaldi (68 - holding). Referee: P. Armstrong. Attendance: 22,790

Weds 28th Dec Sheffield Weds 0 Wolves 2 (Anderton 34, Miller 63)

“We let ourselves down against Reading” said Glenn Hoddle “I asked the players to respond and they did”. More changes as George Ndah starts, as does Colin Cameron but Huddlestone is still on the bench as is Kenny Miller.  At least Ricketts was nowhere to be seen.

Early pressure led to three corners, but still Wednesday got back into it and were challenging seriously when Vio, under pressure on the edge of the box, slid the ball to Darren Anderton on the left corner of the box, and he shot it home with the help of a deflection for his first League goal for us. An avalanche of Owls attacks followed by Postma and Kennedy kept them out.

I n t h e s e c o n d h alf a foul by Gilbert led to George Ndah being stretchered off and rested Kenny took the field. Ten minutes later a long ball from our half by Joleon bounced high between two defenders on the edge of the penalty area.  One headed back towards Nicky Weaver but Kenny stuck out a leg and pushed the ball home.  Lee Naylor also hobbled off with a sore patella after landing heavily an exacerbating the condition. George will be in a brace for 3-6 weeks but shouldn’t need surgery.

There were plenty of chances for both teams but Wednesday were over anxious and have lost seven out of nine now.

Wednesday: Weaver, Coughlan, Whelan (capt), O'Brien, Adams (Brunt 53), Wood, Eagles, Simek, Corr (Peacock 63), Graham (Partridge 78), Gilbert.Unused subs: Hills, Diallo.
Bookings: Gilbert (52 - foul), Brunt (68 - dissent), Simek (72 - foul).
Wolves: Postma, Edwards, Naylor (Huddlestone 88), Anderton (Ince 73), Lescott, Craddock, Cameron, Kennedy (capt), Ganea, Ndah (Miller 54), Seol. Unused subs: Oakes, Ross.
Bookings: Cameron (79 - foul), Seol (85 - retaliation).
Ref P Jones Att 2

Mon 26th Dec Wolves 0 Reading 2 (Kitson 29 Convey 64)

“We let ourselves down” said Glenn Hoddle, but so many really didn’t turn up. Even Joleon was made to look ordinary as he gave away the ball for the first goal.  He must have been delighted that Glenn Little went off at half time.  Equally poor was the team selection. Although Hoddle said he would rest players such as Huddlestone, putting the lightweight Rohan Ricketts on was a major mistake. He didn’t get a single tackle in, only made one decent run down the left wing, and the only surprise was that it took until the hour before he was hauled off and some strength restored to midfield by Cams coming on.  And our strong defensive team took a big knock when Gabor Gyepes was stretchered off in the 73rd minute with an ankle injury.  Fortunately it was not as bad as it seems and he was ready to resume training by Thursday.

In reality we were under the cosh from the second minute.  A Convey corner was well cleared by Mark Kennedy, but only to Glenn Little, unmarked on the edge of the box. His chop in was well headed by Kitson on to the bar, and he was unchallenged, first to the rebound but again hit the bar and Gunnarsson headed the rebound just over.
                                            
It was Joleon’s fault in the 29th when he wandered far too far upfield on the left touchline, lost the ball to Little, who steamed down the wing and his perfect centre left the unmarked Kitson to head home.

In the second half it was the right side at fault as Convey ran 20 yards before slotting the ball past Stefan Postma’s desparate dive, on to the post and in.  Reading also had two “goals disallowed - this one for Kitson’s push on Gabor before heading t home, and Stefan Postma also pulled off a save late on.  We hit the bar twice - once from Seol’s short distance header - and it was good to seem getting into these positions - and again from a long range shot by Colin Cameron.   Steve Coppell described Glenn Little’s tackle on Lescott as the incident which gave them the match.


Here’s Peter Lansley’s report on the whole match in the Times

Wolves: Postma, Edwards, Naylor, Anderton (Ndah 70), Lescott, Gyepes (Craddock 73), Ricketts (Cameron 61), Kennedy (capt), Ganea, Seol, Miller.
Unused subs: Oakes, Huddlestone.
Reading: Hahnemann, Murty (capt), Shorey, Sonko, Gunnarsson, Little (Oster 45), Kitson, Harper, Ingimarsson, Convey (Hunt 82), Doyle.
Unused subs: Stack, Makin, Brown.
Referee: S.J. Tanner.Attendance: 27,980.

Coppell's dark horses make hay
By Peter Lansley
Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 Reading 2
BACK IN THE SUMMER, this festive fixture looked a prospective promotion contest between favourites and dark horses. So it proved, only it is Wolverhampton Wanderers floundering around the edge of the play-off places, Reading threatening to run away with the title. Steve Coppell’s fine team chalked up their ninth successive league victory to move nine points clear at the top of the Coca-Cola Championship and, more significantly, 20 points above third place. Unbeaten in the league since the first day of the season 24 matches ago, it is difficult to envisage them faltering.

Goals in each half from Dave Kitson and Bobby Convey, their livewire front pairing, enabled Reading to soar 27 points above Wolves. The Reading manager was not anticipating such a scenario in August. “I didn’t think about it,” Coppell said. “There are more important things to think about. At the start of the season I was more worried about my golf.”
Reading’s first elevation into the top flight and Wolves’ likely retrenchment into the play-offs was barely affected by yesterday’s game. More than anything, it was Wolves’ pride that was dented as they were rolled over by the Royals. “It was significant because, to be fair, they battered us twice last year (4-1 and 2-1),” Coppell added. “I don’t think we’ve changed that much. We do have more of a cutting edge than just Kitson now but that’s just part of the equation. We’ve just pushed on all round.”
Coppell may continue to play down expectations, recalling this period last year when they fell out of contention for automatic promotion during a winless run of 11 games, but how glad Reading must be to have him as their manager. Glenn Hoddle was considered as Alan Pardew’s successor two years ago, but Coppell’s experience and common sense have proved priceless attributes.
So impressive is Reading’s form in general, and so parsimonious their away record in particular, that once they had taken their lead in the 29th minute, a pall of acceptance seemed to envelop Molineux. It is not that Wolves supporters have no have faith in their players, who had carefully compiled an unbeaten run of eight matches, they are just not accustomed to coming up against opposition of this quality. As hope fell away, Wolves were booed off by their best crowd of the season at the end of their first home defeat since September.

“We deserved nothing,” Hoddle, the Wolves manager, said. “They’re a good side but we lacked desire. We lost too many second balls — we lost too many first balls — and there was no imagination to our play. From the first minute, it wasn’t there.”

Hoddle was referring to the let-off when Kitson twice headed against the crossbar before Bryn Gunnarsson, deputising for the suspended Steve Sidwell, headed over. Wolves were mere observers. Reading were sharper to the ball, quicker in support and deserved their interval lead, despite Seol Ki-Hyeon blasting a rising effort just wide from 20 yards.

The opening goal owed much to Glen Little. The winger dispossessed Joleon Lescott and, despite being faced with three gold shirts, shimmied outside and crossed precisely for Kitson to head in his thirteenth goal of the season. Little was substituted at half-time with a gashed knee that required six stitches but still it was Reading who looked the likelier to score again. Gunnarson lashed over after Kevin Doyle flicked on Graeme Murty’s free kick, then Kitson “skinned” Gabor Gyepes for pace only for Stefan Postma to save James Harper’s shot.

Wolves rallied briefly, the introduction of Colin Cameron adding some bite to their midfield, and Seol headed against the crossbar from Anderton’s cross in the 62nd minute. But in their next attack Reading sealed a new club record of 13 successive away games without defeat when Convey was allowed to run and shoot in off a post from 20 yards.

.

Sat December 17th Wolves 1 (Vio Ganea 37)  Leeds United 0

At last a win as Vio Ganea scores again and it’s Wolves’ 6,999th League goal.  Vio is looking sharper as the midfield learn that he needs the ball to score.   This one was a bit lucky as again Seol was in the box with a goo dchance but scuffed his shot and it rolled along the 6 yard box for Vio to hammer it home.

Again it required Stefan Postma’s great shop stopping skills to keep us in it early on before the ball was swept to the other end and both ANderton and Vio hit the woodwork (the latter was pushed on to it by Leeds keeper Sullivan) and the clean sheet was the fifth kept by Postma in the last eight games during which only three goals have been conceded

It was of course the Wolves’ previous captain’s homecoming, but at a pitch where he dominated there was litlle in in for Paul Butler, shown embracing Captain for the day and Buts long term companion in the back four, Joleon Lescott who Leeds manager Kevin Blackwell described as outstanding

Although Seol’s awful scuff - instead of going towards goal it went along the 6 yard line where Vio was ready to finish it off (see pix below) mirrored his equally awful miss at Norwich, he did havea shot in the second half which called for a fine save by Neil Sullivan.

Nayls stupidly got booked when he took a free kick quickly after the ref clearly indicated to wait for the whistle Vio had a late soft shot which he headed down before striking at Sullivan .. more below

Wolves: Postma, Edwards, Naylor, Anderton (Cameron 79), Lescott (capt), Gyepes, Ricketts, Huddlestone, Ganea, Seol, K. Miller.Unused

subs: Oakes, Olofinjana, Ross, Clarke.
Bookings: Edwards (41 - foul), Naylor (84 - taking free-kick without permission).
Leeds: Sullivan, Butler (capt), Healy, Lewis, L. Miller, Walton, Derry, Harding (Douglas 85), Cresswell (Moore 68), Kilgallon, Blake.Unused subs: Gregan, Pugh, Bennett.
Bookings: Harding (62 - foul), Walton (66 - foul), L. Miller (90 - dissent).
Sending-Off: Walton (82 - obstruction - second bookable offence).
Referee: C. Foy.
Attendance: 26,821. (highest of the season so far)
Golden Goal Time v Leeds: 37 minutes 40 seconds.

Talking point - what’s this then

Match Report from the ST “Ganea beats clueless Leeds” by I Tennant

FOR Wolverhampton Wanderers, a victory more straightforward than would be apparent from the scoreline. This was primarily because Leeds United created only one opening all afternoon and then had Simon Walton sent off late in the second half. Viorel Ganea, injury-prone for so long, scored his fifth goal of the season in front of a crowd of 26,821 that was the biggest at Molineux this season.
Ganea, who missed last season because of a cruciate ligament injury, is out of contract in the summer. Nobody doubts his ability — not least England at Euro 2000 — but his age, 32, is against him. Do not bank on him being around next season, whether or not Wolves have reached the Premiership. For the time being, though, he has plenty to commend him.
A series of draws before this match and an initial shortage of transfers would suggest that Wolves have been falling back on defence to too great a degree. Not so, even if there was understandable circumspection against the club who brought an end to their record unbeaten run between January and August. Wolves’ football has remained fluent, intricate and something to be relished.
They had but two chances before their opening goal. First, Lee Naylor, overlapping down the left wing, had a left-footed drive parried at full stretch by Neil Sullivan, who was the butt of considerable chanting from the Wolves supporters.
Next, Tom Huddlestone and Ganea struck the bar in succession, the former from 20 yards and the forward following up and watching his deflected strike come back off the woodwork.
This was the precursor to Ganea’s goal seven minutes before the interval. Naylor crossed from the left towards Seol Ki Hyeon, who misplaced his attempted pass straight to the Romanian a few yards from goal. The finish was a simple affair and Wolves’ lead was eminently deserved.
“With 22 games still to go, who is to say somebody isn’t going to go on a run like the ones Sheffield United and Reading have enjoyed in the first half of the campaign?” asked Wolves manager Glenn Hoddle.
“When we hit the woodwork twice, I wondered whether it would be another of those days. But we have gone up the table and have a good foundation for the Christmas period.”
As for Leeds, there was just the one opening before half-time: a cross from Eddie Lewis found Matthew Kilgallon, who was foiled by Stefan Postma. So, too, from the rebound, was David Healy, who struck the goalkeeper’s legs.
This pattern did not change after the interval, when once again Wolves were in the ascendancy. Seol chested the ball down on the far side of the penalty area and attempted to hook a volley past Sullivan when he might have done better to have taken his chance instantaneously. Ganea then opted to shoot when he should have pushed the ball square to Kenny Miller.
Later, a header by Ganea from Seol’s right-wing cross went on to the roof of the net. By now, late in the second half, Leeds had made scant impression and were unlikely to do so after the 84th minute, when Walton was sent off for a second bookable offence — a blatant barge against Miller, who was outstripping him by the touchline.
“I was disappointed with this decision and a lot of people were surprised,” said Leeds manager Kevin Blackwell. “Walton, who was playing in an unfamiliar position at right- back, was absolutely distraught at being sent off. He takes things to heart.”
The dismissal made certain there would be no comeback of the kind Leeds managed in that extraordinary fixture against Southampton.
Indeed, they finished the afternoon doing well to retain possession, let alone trouble Postma. It had been apparent for some time that this was not to be their afternoon.
STAR MAN: Viorel Ganea (Wolves)
Player ratings: Wolverhampton Wanderers: Postma 6, Edwards 6, Lescott 6, Gyepes 6, Naylor 7, Anderton 6 (Cameron 79min, 5), Huddlestone 6, Ricketts 6, Seol Ki Hyeon 7, K Miller 6, Ganea 8
Leeds United: Sullivan 7, Walton 5, Butler 6, Kilgallon 6, Harding 6 (Douglas 86min, 5), L Miller 6, Derry 6, Lewis 6, Cresswell 6 (Moore 68min, 5), Healy 6, Blake 6
Scorer: Wolves: Ganea 38
Referee: C Foy
Attendance: 26,821

and the Match Report on Unofficial Wolves here by Scott Cooper

Christmas cheer as Wolves cruise past Leeds.

By Scott Cooper - December 17 2005

RARELY is a 1-0 win as comfortable as the one today. Wolves restricted Leeds United to just two shots whilst a single goal from Vio Ganea seven minutes before half time earned Wolves all three points.
The game was billed by Wolves as a "Christmas Cracker" and the boys in gold and black put in a performance warranting the pre match advertising. Wolves played what Glenn Hoddle described after the game as "silky football" and dominated throughout, despite scoring just one goal.
"We knew we'd have to work hard today and I was pleased with our balance. We played some silky football at times and defended when we needed to." Said Hoddle.
In recent weeks Wolves have dominated games but failed to win the three points and today it seemed like it was going the same way. Leeds 'keeper Sullivan pulled off a marvellous save in the first few minutes before Stefan Postma was called upon to deny Sean Derry at the other end. However Wolves replied well and Tom Huddlestone lashed the ball against the bar, his rebound fell to Ganea who's powerful effort was tipped onto the bar by the former Scottish International in between Uniteds sicks. However Sullivan was beaten several minutes later. A cross from the left was rebounded (ed: scufed “shot” from Seol)  into the path of Ganea who side-footed the ball home from close range.
"Stefan Postma made a great save and then we went up the other end and hit the bar twice. I thought it was going to be one of those days again but that wasn't the case." Hoddle added.
The second half wasn't full of chances with the key moment being the sending off of Leeds full back Walton eight minutes from time. He was sent off for a second bookable offence after he prevented Kenny Miller from racing past him with the ball.
"We need to back today's performance up with a win against Reading. If we can do that, it will make people sit up and take notice." The Manager said

Sat December 10th  Crystal Palace 1 (Johnson 44) Wolves 1 (Seol 19)

So,the 51st game for Glenn,26th draw thanks to lucky Palace and a bad miss by the returning Kenny. However, his return gave amuch needed impetus to the game,which we should have won easily. We dominated the game, and their stand in keeper made 3 terrific saves - from Kenny, Sparky and Anderton.
Probably Seol's best game this season in what was much more of a blood and thunder performance than we've seen for a long time. Rewarded by a super soft goal - the only decent pass into the 6 yard box and it went in; down our end too. Kenny started and it didn't seem like he'd been out injured. He really sparked the team up. Vio had a disappointing game because we are just not passing to hinm running on to the ball or into the six yard box

Player Scores
Postma 7 - couldn't do anything about the goal - it was bad coverage on AJ; commanding and had the other real Palace chance well covered
Nayls 6 - not quite there; some terrific attempts to cross; great defence against AJ
Edwards 6 - solid; couple of mistakes
Joleon 7 - had it all covered as usual; AJ tried to keep away from him
Gabor 7 ditto although was less able to deal with Andy Johnson but put in some great tackles and imaginative forward balls. Sign him up Glenn.
Tom H 6 - almost sparked; strong and much better than last two matches
Sicknote - 6 - couple of really good initiatives. Nearly got booked for a tackle!
Sparky - man of the match; at last he's shooting on sight and demanded an outstanding save
Seol - 7 much much better; flukey goal - Palace were more interested in tackling Vio than watching the ball roll round the goalie. We would have been real unhappy with that
Kenny 8-1 (for the miss) presence alone sparked the team; miss was a bad one - shinned it over the bar from 6 yards. But also had a terriific shot which the goalie tipped over and injured himself. (Speroni - Kiraly was out)
Vio 6 - didn't seem to chase the ball as much, but not his fault that he's a penalty area player and we seemed incapable of crossing to him or playing him through
Leon 3 - awful when he came on - it was as though he'd been told to pass to Palace. 1 good touch whenrunning through; 3 appalling layoffs started Palace attacks

Palace fan in the Tavern said AJ doesn't dive!
Ref - quite a homer - yellowed Seol but didn't do Michael Hughes for a nasty very late tackle on Kenny. But he did play advantage when Seol was through; gave our free kick, then went and consulted the lino to go and find Popovic and book him.

WOW report

Wolves drew for a fourth consecutive game after Andy Johnson's goal, shortly before the interval, cancelled out Seol's opener for Wolves and pulled Crystal Palace back onto level terms.
Injuries had ruled out George Ndah and Colin Cameron and their places were taken by Kenny Miller, who was playing his first football since the end of October, and Darren Anderton.  After an evenly balanced opening the first action of note came in the eighth minute when Stefan Postma had to tip over after a 25-yard shot from Michael Hughes Johnson fired narrowly wide although Postma looked to have the striker's shot covered and then the keeper was forced into a low save to keep out an effort from Tom Soares.  With 19 minutes gone, Wolves moved into the lead after Seol had pumped a low cross into the Palace box. Vio Ganea and Tony Popovic slid in together but both missed the ball which crept in at the far post with keeper Julian Speroni flatfooted.  Miller, on the overlap, took a flick from Anderton and curled a dangerous centre through the heart of the Palace box and the ball was turned behind by a defender. Lee Naylor's corner was cleared.   Naylor was hurt when he collided with Postma as he challenged with Johnson for Clinton Morrison's centre, and then Seol was booked for a challenge on Soares.  Speroni just managed to get back and turn over a long-range effort from Miller. The keeper landed badly and he needed attention but when he had recovered he took Anderton's corner without any real problems.  In the 44th minute Palace drew level when Johnson took a cross from Soares and squeezed a shot past Naylor and Joleon Lescott into the corner of the net.  In first-half stoppage time, Mark Kennedy was booked for fouling Johnson wide on the Palace left.
Half-Time: Palace 1 Wolves 1
Ganea just failed to connect with Miller's short through ball and then Speroni saved a bouncing shot from Anderton as Wolves looked to regain the advantage.   Seol drove a cross into the side netting and, after Boyce had headed a Miller centre behind, two successive Naylor corners came to nothing.  Tom Huddlestone nearly did the trick with a long range shot that beat Speroni but went a matter of inches wide, and then the Palace keeper made a fine save from Kennedy who had cut in from the left and hit a fierce shot from just inside the area.
With 64 minutes gone luck was against Wolves when Anderton's deft chip went over the head of Speroni but struck the crossbar. The ball dropped to the feet of Miller but his close range shot was high and wide.  There was a moment of danger at the other end when Ben Watson's goalbound drive struck Kennedy and veered narrowly over the bar.   With 15 minutes left, Leon Clarke was sent on in place of Ganea shortly before Gabor Gyepes was booked for pulling back Johnson and Jon Macken for a late challenge on Naylor.  Loud Palace appeals for a penalty after another Gyepes challenge on Johnson were waved away by the referee as the game headed towards a frenetic close with both sides going for a winner.  Emmerson Boyce's foul on Seol right on the Palace 18-yard line presented Wanderers with a chance but, after Popovic had been booked for dissent, Naylor's free-kick hit the wall as did the defender's follow up shot and the home defence cleared the danger.

Palace: Speroni, Ward, Popovic (capt), Johnson, Freedman (Macken 67), Morrison (McAnuff 82), Leigertwood, Watson, Hughes, Soares, Boyce.Unused subs: Kiraly, Hudson, Andrews.
Booking: Popovic (87 - dissent).

 Wolves: Postma, Edwards, Naylor, Anderton, Lescott, Gyepes, Kennedy (capt), Huddlestone, Ganea (Clarke 75), Seol, Miller.Unused subs: Oakes, Olofinjana, Ross, Ricketts.

Sat Dec 3rd Ipswich 1 (pen Richards 60)  WW 1 (Cameron 51)

Starting at tenth in the league after an undefeated run (but with only one three pointer) November and four clean sheets, with a struggling Ipswich side should have given us confidence.  And, for the first three minutes that seemed to be the case.  The next 30 though had no shots on goal. And it was our shooting that was to cost us two points (as well as the referee).  But in the end it was Ipswich’s scourge in the last meeting at Molineux Colin Cameron who put Wolves into a, by then, deserved lead in the 51st. The equaliser came barely 9 minutes later when the ref judged that Gyepes had brought Forster down - the commentary said he’d won the ball fairly.  Stefan Postma, desparate to keep the clean sheet sequence going, got his hands to the ball but couldn’t stop the ball going in.

A fairly inept first half - apart from Stefan Postma making great saves from Darren Currie and from a Tom Huddlestone back-header in the first 25 minutes - led to Glenn making two changes at half time.  Huddlestone had been ineffective and was replaced by Anderton, while George Ndah was replaced by Leon.  The next 10 minutes brought a much better performance - until we got into the penalty area.  Appalling misses by Seol and Clarke lost us the points.

The match statistics tell an interesting story

Match Action

Minute
93 Free kick taken by Anderton from left of centre. Hits wall - Sparky chips in. Breaks but Rob Edwards intercepts and back into the Ipswich box but the final whistle goes.
92 Clarke taken down after Proudlock poor clearance
91 Anderton cross fizzes in - cleared to Sparky - shot fizzes wide
87 Low cross from Leon and Richard Naylor concedes corner; R Naylor clears then Anderton crosses back in to Leon and Vio leaps but heads wide
85 Long throw from Nayls on by Jo and Seol misses open goal high over the bar from 5 yards
84 Cameron to Anderton wide but cross well clear of Vio and Leon
80 Seol cross Leon and Vio allow it to run and Anderton shoots well wide from 12 yards out
78 Anderton gives ball away but Jo puts in great challenge on Williams to clear
77 Nayls cross just goes to Currie
76 Leon again in the box but pass smothered
75 Mickey has another shot from a Seol pass but shoots wide
75 Leon clear in the box, but hits the side netting
74 Horlock then catches Anderton but ref takes no action other than a warning
72 Proudlock shot headed away by Jo
71 Nayls shot from free kick sails high, Anderton has words
70 Nasty challenge by Horlock who is booked
Referee favoring Ipswich in several
Anderton corner - Gyepes shot cleared
60 Richards takes Pen - Postma got both hands to it but it still goes in
59 Gyepes concedes penalty - commentary said he won the ball against Forster.
55 Gyepes concedes corner and gets saving header on the cross. Then Forster's effort dribbles wide
53 ex Wolf Proudlock and Horlock come on for Ipswich
51 Mickey scores - good run and shot from 30 yards deflected over Lewis Price
(Just as Robbie scores for Spurs)
50 Long throw from Nayls, Vio to Lescott but foul given
George Ndah and the ineffectual Tom Huddlestone are replaced at half time by Leon Clarke and Darren Anderton.
FIRST HALF
Seol final ball "dreadful"; Postma busier goalie (Currie, Huddlestone shots)
47 2 mins extra time played
45 Shot from Tom - Lewis Price saves easily
44 Corner. Centre halves up for Nayls cross but easily dealt with
43 Seol keeps beating Richards but then keeps delivering poor crosses.
41 Nayls wins free kick but takes it like Beckham (falls over)
40 Corner by Currie - Richard Naylor heads Gabor's boot
35 Vio shoots at keeper's midriff, but nothing from corner - poor final cross from Tom
25 Long throw, pass by Seol, Tom shoots (and it goes for a throw)
22 Sparky shoots - over the bar (right foot)
20 Excellent passes Lescott to Nayls to George - but he couldn't control it
18 Great save by Postma from Huddlestone back header
First 15 mins
Lescott immense.
One great save from Stefan Postma from Darren Currie after his corner.
One early chance to Wolves (George crowded out).

TEAM
Postma, Edwards, Gyepes, Lescott, Naylor, Seol, Cameron, Huddlestone (45 Anderton), Kennedy, Ganea, Ndah (45 Clarke)
Bench Oakes, Olofinjana, Clarke, Anderton, Craddock

The good news though is that Kenny has resumed training. Didn’t make Ipswich but will he be on the bench at the Palace?

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