CONFIDENCE, movement, workrate. Bristol City manager Gary Johnson had no doubt why his side had been beaten yesterday, but there was more to it than that. Wolves had those qualities in abundance, but there was a vision about their passing, as well as a technical correctness, that suggests Mick McCarthy has assembled a squad with ability as well as appetite.

It might take some time for it to be acknowledged though. In some respects, the York-shireman’s image does him few favours. His blunt comments, and perhaps his accent too, mean he tends to be regarded as a motivator, a man more likely to build a side that wins matches through hard work than skill. Judging by this performance, however, this Wolves side can do both.

Yet, asked what pleased him most about the seven league wins in a row that constitute Wolves’s best start to a season since 1949, McCarthy was typically unequivocal. “We played Bristol City here last season, and for 40 minutes we murdered them, but it ended one-all and we were hanging on at the end,” he recalled. “So all that good football, all the chances we created, amounted to absolutely diddly-squat. It’s all b******* unless you win. So pass,” the manager complained, and the failure to do so might have cost them before they finally made the game safe in the 68th minute. One of those bouts of head tennis in and out of the penalty area ended with the ball finally falling to earth close to Ebanks-Blake but the forward still had plenty to do, swivelling and volleying the ball beyond Weale.

The rest of the game was something of a formality, the crowd amusing themselves by baiting their former favourite Michael McIndoe, whose missed chance early in the second half, when the ball fell on his favoured left foot inside the penalty area, constituted City’s best opportunity to get back into the game.

“That would have been handy, he normally tucks those away,” sighed Johnson. “Because the game was so long at 1-0 we did have a couple of opportunities, and to come away from here with a 1-1 would have been a good result. Not many teams will leave here with points this season.” WOLVES:Ikeme 7, Foley 7, Stearman 7, Collins 6, Ward 7, Kightly 7 (Gray 90min), Jones 7, Henry 6, Jarvis 8 (Edwards 80min), Ebanks-Blake 7 (Vokes 85min), Keogh 7 BRISTOL CITY:Weale 5, Skuse 6, Carey 6, Fontaine 6, McAllister 5, Sproule 6 (Williams 75min), Elliott 6 (Orr 90min), Johnson 7, McIndoe 5 (Trundle 75min), Adebola 6, Maynard 6 Star man:Matt Jarvis (Wolves) Yellow cards:Kightly, Skuse Referee:P Crossley Attendance:24,324 WOLVES
what pleases me is that we’ve won seven, and drawn one. It has to be about results.”

Well, there wasn’t much doubt about this one, for all City’s gameness. Wolves started at a pace that took the breath away and a less organised side than Johnson’s might have been overwhelmed. The absence of top scorer Chris Iwelumo, sent off at Preston last week after scoring a hat-trick, seemed to make no difference at all, Andy Keogh slotting in alongside Sylvan Ebanks-Blake as though he had been playing there all season. With Michael Kightly and, in particular, Matt Jarvis, offering penetration down both flanks, it was only a matter of time before the first goal arrived.

It was a curious opener, however, with Kightly whipping in a free kick from wide out on the left with his right foot that curled unerringly into the top left corner of Chris Weale’s goal. Weale, anticipating a cross, would have been disappointed to be beaten.

Having gone ahead, it was inevitable that Wolves’s pace would drop off and City began to offer an occasional threat of their own. Carl Ikeme, deputising for Wayne Hennessey – also sent off against Preston – had to save well from Ivan Sproule, and he was to make further saves from Dele Adebola and Nicky Maynard before the half was out.

Even so, Wolves should have gone in two to the good. Ebanks-Blake was probably the most culpable in terms of chances missed and McCarthy suggested his players’ brains were not working as quickly as their feet. “We needed to pick a