Source: Telegraph
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 Fulham 1: match report
At the 22nd attempt, dating back six and a half years to his spell at Sunderland, Mick McCarthy has finally managed a side to a home victory in the Premier League. [LNB]Wolverhampton Wanderers struck either side of half-time through £6.5m record signing Kevin Doyle and former Shrewsbury midfielder Dave Edwards, with Fulham being unable to add to Danny Murphy's riposte from the penalty spot. [LNB]To compound Wolves' satisfaction, they welcomed back Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, who damaged a hamstring on the season's opening day, and Michael Kightly, who had been out since March, for late cameos as substitutes. [LNB]Their mere presence on the bench helped to generate optimism among the Molineux faithful from the start, as did the general feebleness of the visitors. [LNB]Fulham had previously come to the West Midlands 72 hours after their Europa League tie at Amkar Perm, put in a jaded performance at Aston Villa and lost 2-0 with a team containing several players who had turned out in Russia. [LNB]This time, three days after the 1-1 draw at CSKA Sofia, Roy Hodgson started with only one player, John Pantsil, who began last Thursday's game in Bulgaria. Yet for the first hour they played as if suffering from jet-lag. [LNB]Mark Schwarzer, who missed the trip due to a neck injury, had not been forced into a save before his goal fell in the 18th minute. [LNB]If Stoke City had taken out a copyright on the Rory Delap long-throw ploy, they would have been collecting royalties after Greg Halford launched a similar throw. Christophe Berra glanced the ball into the six-yard area where the unmarked Doyle headed in. [LNB]Shortly before half-time, the other half of Wolves' all-Irish front two, Andy Keogh, thought he had doubled the advantage after sweeping in a cross by Edwards. [LNB]Referee Kevin Friend, taking his first Premier League match, correctly ruled out the 'goal' after spotting the near-side assistant's flag. [LNB]The same pair reversed roles to help Wolves move further ahead five minutes after half-time. [LNB]Edwards pounced on Clint Dempsey's weak header to send Keogh through on the right of the penalty area, where he checked his run, looked up and found that Edwards had supported him and was standing unattended level with the penalty spot. An emphatic finish gave Schwarzer no chance. [LNB]Fulham were fortunate not to conceded a third, Aaron Hughes' back-header from a Keogh cross looking destined for the top corner until Schwarzer stretched to tip the ball on to the bar. [LNB]Midway through the second half, Murphy sent Wayne Hennessey the wrong way from the spot after Michael Mancienne pulled over Bobby Zamora, but even a nerve-wracked finale could not take the edge off Wolves' joy.[LNB]
