Wolves 1 (Bothroyd 27)
Ipswich Town 0
Battling Wolves took all three points from an absorbing encounter with Ipswich Town at Molineux.
A superb strike from Jay Bothroyd put Mick McCarthy's men ahead but the team was forced to play with ten men for 55 minutes following the dismissal of Carl Cort.
In form Matt Murray then came to the rescue just before the break with a penalty save from Matt Richards.
There an unchanged starting 11 with Gary Breen having recovered from an ankle injury.
Wolves kicked-off attacking the South Bank end and, within the first two minutes, both sides had attempts at goal.
Richards was too high with a 20-yard free-kick and then Bothroyd tested Shane Supple with a low shot from outside the box.
Bothroyd's persistence soon won the backing of the crowd and after he saw a 20-yard drive deflected wide, Alex Bruce was booked for a late tackle on the former Charlton man.
Cort beat his marker as he ran in from the right but, when he pulled the ball back Rohan Ricketts fired high over the bar with a first time shot.
Ricketts' carefully weighted through ball fell nicely to Jamie Clapham whose shot lacked the power to trouble Supple.
But Wolves were looking lively as they went forward and they deservedly took the lead in the 27th minute with Bothroyd drilling home a shot from all of 25-yards after taking a pass from Ricketts.
The task was made more difficult in the 36th minute, however, when Cort was sent-off for shoving away Gavin Williams after the pair challenged for a clearance from defence.
Murray saved from Williams before Bothroyd raced onto Kevin O'Connor's through ball. The striker wrongfooted Richard Naylor as he checked but then scuffed his shot into the arms of Supple.
In the final minute of the half Jody Craddock was adjudged to have caught Nick Forster as the ball was running out of play in the home area and the referee pointed to the spot.
But there was a huge cheer as Murray dived to his right to beat away Richards' spot kick.
Half-Time: Wolves 1 Ipswich 0
Rob Edwards was an interval replacement for Mark Clyde and just three minutes into the half, Lee Naylor went off ill with Seyi Olofinjana taking his place and Clapham dropping into the left-back slot.
There was a let off for Wolves in the 50th minute when Williams' deflected shot struck the foot of the post and bounced into the path of Dean Bowditch whose celebrations after turning the ball into the net were cut short by the linesman's flag.
Town were trying to make the extra man count but the home defence was coping admirably with any threats. And Bothroyd almost got a second but he just failed to control a deep cross from Edwards.
Midway through the half Craig Davies replaced the hard working Bothroyd before Ipswich substitute Darren Currie went into the book for a foul on Karl Henry.
Eight minutes before the end, a well worked and patient build-up ended with O'Connor firing a fierce drive narrowly over the bar.
In stoppage time Town forced several corners but the home defence held firm for a deserved victory.
Wolves: Murray, Clyde (Edwards 45), L. Naylor (Olofinjana 49), Breen, Craddock (capt), Henry, Cort, Bothroyd (C. Davies 64), Clapham, Ricketts, O'Connor.
Unused subs: Oakes, Clarke.
Sent-Off: Cort (36 - violent conduct)
Ipswich: Supple, Castro, R. Naylor, De Vos (capt), Harding, Peters (Parkin 85), Bruce, Williams, Richards (Currie 62), Bowditch (Lee 53), Forster.
Unused subs: Price, Wilnis.
Bookings: Bruce (14 - foul), Currie (70 - foul), Williams (90 - foul).
Ref: T. M. Kettle.
Attendance: 19,199.
Goldrush Half-Time Draw v Ipswich: 6 - 8 - 13 - 15.

















