Wolves booked their place in the fourth round of the FA Cup with a deserved 2-0 win at Midlands rivals Birmingham City.
McCarthy's men steal bragging rights from Midlands derby
Wolves booked their place in the fourth round of the FA Cup with a deserved 2-0 win at Midlands rivals Birmingham City.
Andy Keogh and Sam Vokes were on target for Mick McCarthy's side on a night in which referee Howard Webb had an inadvertent role in Wolves' second goal.
Webb innocently blocked Radhi Jaidi's 51st-minute pass in the centre-circle - and in the process, directed to ball to Keogh who broke clear, leaving striker partner Vokes to put the visitors two goals up from close range.
The impressive Keogh had earlier given the visitors, four-time FA Cup-winners, a half-time lead which their neat approach play had merited against their Championship promotion rivals.
But Webb was the pantomime villain in the eyes of the home fans when he also waved away protests for what appeared to be a foul on Marcus Bent in the penalty area, while Cameron Jerome rattled the bar midway through the second half.
Entertaining game
Both sides had efforts cleared off the line, before Wolves' first victory in six attempts against the Blues put them in the fourth round for the ninth time in the last 10 years - setting up a meeting with Middlesbrough at Molineux.
Jerome completely fluffed his lines from 15 yards with the first real chance of the game after four minutes, before Lee Carsley made a last-ditch tackle to deny George Friend at the other end when it looked as though he had done enough.
Wolves started turning the screw as the half entered the final 15 minutes but were gaining no reward in the final third - until they got the goal they deserved after 38 minutes.
Michael Kightly nonchalantly flicked a ball through to Keogh, who fired past Taylor to give Mick McCarthy's side the lead.
Referee Webb waved away what looked to be a penalty after Richard Stearman's challenge on Bent, while Ridgewell prevented what could have been the killer blow at the other end.
It took less than two second-half minutes for the visitors to be denied another great chance to double their advantage.
Neat interplay between Vokes and Stephen Ward put Keogh clean through, but Maik Taylor did well to get down to his right and push the ball to safety.
Wolves' second did arrive, in those controversial circumstances.
Pantomime villain
Jaidi attempted to play a pass that Webb got in the way of and diverted straight into the path of Keogh.
He broke into the Blues penalty area and played in Kightly - and he squared the ball for Vokes to tap home from close range.
Webb's involvement in the goal incensed the home crowd and riled Blues, Carsley forcing Wayne Hennessey to tip his drilled effort around a post.
Jerome almost brought Blues back into the game in the 67th minute but could only watch as his turn and thunderous shot cannoned back off the bar.
Blues laid siege in the last 20 minutes in an attempt to halve the deficit. But Robin Shroot saw his effort well saved by Hennessey, while Keogh cleared off the line from Jerome.
| Birmingham City |
Team Statistics |
Wolverhampton Wanderers |
| 0 |
Goals |
2 |
| 0 |
1st Half Goals |
1 |
| 4 |
Shots on Target |
5 |
| 7 |
Shots off Target |
2 |
| 0 |
Blocked Shots |
1 |
| 11 |
Corners |
6 |
| 11 |
Fouls |
12 |
| 1 |
Offsides |
2 |
| 2 |
Yellow Cards |
1 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
|
