Preston 1 Wolves 3: The Chris Iwelumo Show

By: Matt | September 20th, 2008

I came away from today’s game feeling gloomy. Yes gloomy I tell you. Another fantastic performance and well deserved win, alongside the the news that most of the teams around us at the top of the league had lost points. Yet my life is not complete.

At 3-0 up and coasting, the world was a magical place. The team were teasing Preston, looked as if they had another three goals in them at least, and the Wolves fans were in full voice, “we’re just too good for you, we’re just too good for you” etc etc.

Then, after an off the ball kick from St Ledger, Iwelumo and the Preston centre half took a good, long (and very close) look at each other before both falling to the ground. The referee showed Iwelumo a red a card and already my mind was working out the permutations of losing our top goal scorer for the next three games -Bristol City (H), Reading (H) and Swansea (A), if you’re interested. I’d just about reassured myself everything would be fine when Hennessey became the second Wolves player of the game to be sent off, in the final minute of injury time for what looked like a mistimed challenge. Now I was totally unable to enjoy the post match celebrations, I wasn’t unhappy that we had won, my mind was just too busy with questions of life shattering importance such as… Is Murray fit enough to replace Hennessey? What’s Ikeme really like? How long is the ban for a professional foul? I just couldn’t live in the moment. Darn it. Enough of my misery though, what went on before this was far more important.

Again, Wolves were out of the blocks very fast, producing a goal scoring opportunity for Kightly within the first few minutes. The game then settled down and was reasonably even for the first 25 minutes, as both sides had decent opportunities to score. Then Wolves took control with a series of sweeping movings that ended in goal scoring opportunities for Kightly, Jarvis and SEB. The pressure produced a series of corners, and finally one of them produced dividends as a Collins header crashed off the bar, in the confusion the ball went back out to Jones, whose cross was chased down by Iwelumo and spectacularly sent into the back of the net with an overhead shot. Preston just couldn’t handle Big Chris. I’m sure Ian Dowie would have called him “unplayable”. Unfortunately for the next three games he is unplayable.

The goal was followed by constant Wolves pressure and another succession of corners. However, in the final five minutes of the half Preston finally managed to keep the ball and created two clear chances, with a Mellor goal (correctly) disallowed for offside, followed quickly by another Mellor shot which came out from the inside of the post, just as Preston were ready to pounce on the rebound the referee stopped the game again for another offside.

Preston started the second half strongly but after ten minutes Wolves started to dominate again. Some aggressive, fast, flowing football created chance after chance and finally a Kightly cross was expertly turned in by Iwelumo and from then on there was only one winner. Further Wolves pressure saw Wolves take a 3-0 lead when Kightly was hacked down in mid flow inside the area (a sending off if ever if I have ever seen one) and Iwelumo hit struck the penalty confidently into the top of the net. Only minutes later a fantastic save from Lonergan prevented a fourth from Iwelumo, a header flying towards the bottom corner of the goals. Then, as described above, it all went a bit Pete Tong.

Time will tell how important these suspensions will be, and although we do have good cover for Big Chris in Keogh and Vokes, he will be sorely missed. Although I did hear on the way home that Wolves would be appealing his red card. It will make interesting viewing tomorrow on ITV’s The Championship.

Hennessey – Solid apart from one handling error early in the game, otherwise hardly tested. Starting to become more dominant in the penalty area 7.5

Foley – Mr Steady. Closed everything down and was good going forward linking with the wingers 8

Stearman – Excellent performance again, very strong in the tackle 9

Collins – Superb. Won everything in the air and missed nothing on the ground 9

Ward – looks like he’s been playing full back all his career 8

Jones – Ran the show with Henry. Good in the tackle, excellent passing and nearly scored with along distance shot 9

Henry – see Jones above. Also attacked strongly from midfield, carrying the ball to the forwards 9

Kightly – They just couldnt cope with him 9.5

Jarvis – Good performance but not as effective as Kightly (which is hardly a criticism) 7

Iwelumo – Man of the match for his 3 goals. His first was a beauty that produced with it a three second delay before celebrations in the away end. Was too far away to judge the red card 9.5

Ebanks-Blake 7.5 – Excellent link up play, a bit quieter than normal in front of goal

Keogh – Very effective when he came on 7.5

Edwards. Same as above 7.5

Referee – Absolute pants (for both sides)

Video report from the Express and Star’s Tim Nash here