Wolves grab initiative in relegation dogfight

Wolves gave their chances of survival in the Premier League a huge shot in the arm with a 2-1 win at relegation rivals Burnley at Turf Moor on Saturday.

Burnley had only themselves to blame for a defeat that leaves them in the relegation zone, three points adrift of safety.

A misjudged back header by Tyrone Mears gifted Matt Jarvis the chance to give Wolves the lead midway through the opening period and the advantage was doubled by a Clarke Carlisle own goal.

A 73rd-minute header from substitute Steven Thompson ensured a tense finale to the match but Wolves held on for the three points and left Burnley boss Brian Laws to endure the jeers of the angry home supporters.

It had all started so much more positively for Burnley, with Chris Eagles and Graham Alexander both on target early on, although they also suffered a scare when Brian Jensen raced out of his box and brought down Kevin Doyle.

Referee Steve Bennett judged it was not a clear goalscoring opportunity and Jensen was allowed to stay on the pitch.

Wolves however went ahead when Mears’s misjudged attempt to find Jensen allowed Jarvis to nip in and round the Danish goalkeeper to open the scoring.

Burnley came close to equalising in the 44th minute when Mears knocked the ball down in the box for David Nugent, who swung a shot from eight yards which bounced down then up against the bar.

But within two minutes of the restart, Adlene Guedioura’s shot from the right deflected into the net off Carlisle to leave Wolves two goals clear.

Kevin Doyle went close to making it three but the visitors were generally content to sit on their lead, and they paid the price for that cautious approach when Graham Alexander lofted a ball into their box in the 73rd minute.

Thompson, the former Rangers and Scotland striker, was on hand to head home and Wolves were forced to endure a nervy ending in which Robbie Blake twice threatened to equalise.