Early bird Bowyer deepens Wolves woe

An early Lee Bowyer goal gave Birmingham City a 1-0 victory over struggling local rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers in their Premier League encounter at Molineux here on Sunday.

Bowyer’s fifth goal of the season makes him the club’s leading scorer and extends Birmingham’s undefeated run to five matches this season, the best they have managed under Alex McLeish since he succeeded Steve Bruce two years ago.

This was an ideal way to celebrate his anniversary and one that will merely increase Wolves boss Mick McCarthy’s fears about his own side’s chances of avoiding an immediate return to the Championship.

“That is a massive win for us,” said McLeish. “These are the games that will decide our season and to get a fantastic win, and in the manner that we did it, was brilliant.”

Bowyer’s goal defeated Fulham the previous weekend and if confidence is short in the Wolves dressing room, it is bursting from the seams of the former Leeds midfielder, judging by the audacious way he clipped a 20-yard chip over Marcus Hahnemann in just the second minute.

Hahnemann was making his Premier League debut for Wolves, with Welsh international Wayne Hennessey relegated to the bench after conceding eight goals to Chelsea and Arsenal.

Christian Benitez and Cameron Jerome’s movement left Jody Craddock and Christophe Berra chasing shadows for long periods and Jerome was unfortunate not to extend the visitors’ lead when he volleyed straight at Hahnemann from Bowyer’s pass.

Wolves have not won for eight games now and were in such a state of disarray that McCarthy elected to withdraw the lacklustre Greg Halford after only 30 minutes and replace him with a half-fit Michael Kightly.

The move back-fired when the winger was forced out of the action with what looked like an ankle injury just after the hour mark.

“I picked a team I thought would go out there and compete, but it didn’t happen,” said McCarthy. “From the first whistle we haven’t made a tackle or laid a finger on anyone and, as a result, Birmingham were a good street better than us.”

As an attacking threat, even before Kightly departed, Wolves were poor.

Kevin Doyle is still suffering from the effects of the Republic of Ireland’s defeat in the World Cup play-offs to France and it took Wolves fully 75 minutes before Matthew Jarvis tested Joe Hart in the Birmingham goal.

Hart’s poor punch from a corner gave Jarvis a shooting chance from 15 yards, but the on-loan Manchester City goalkeeper was able to push away the ensuing shot despite being unsighted by a crowd of players.

Birmingham should have had things wrapped up before then.

Jerome’s powerful surge and pass set up James McFadden for a gilt-edged chance to finish off their opponents, but he delayed his shot too long, allowing substitute Stephen Ward to block.