Stephen Ward is ready for some FA Cup role reversal as Crystal Palace aim to upset the applecart at Molineux on Saturday.

 

Twelve months ago it was Wolves in the Championship against Middlesbrough in the Premier League in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup, sponsored by E.ON.

 

Wolves ended up beaten 2-1 after a hard-fought contest, but this weekend it's Palace from the second tier aiming to go one better by springing a surprise.

 

"The FA Cup is important to us," says Ward.

 

"A few of the big teams have already gone out and we want to stay in it as long as possible.

 

"If you're doing well in the cup then more often than not it transfers to your league form as well.

 

"We know Crystal Palace will be very tough opponents.

 

"They'll want to show they are good enough to play against a Premier League team as we did when we faced Middlesbrough in the Fourth Round last year.

 

"They only really pipped us late on in the game after we'd played really well.

 

"It's a similar situation for Palace now and we'll have to be ready for a strong performance from them."

 

Also on the agenda for Wolves is the aim for a major upturn in performance levels after Saturday's league defeat at home to Wigan.

 

Ward reveals Wolves have watched a re-run of the disappointing reverse as they bid to bounce back in much the same way as after previous setbacks.

"It wasn't the greatest performance from us at Wigan," he said.

 

"Every game is a tough game and you can't win every game you're expected to win but it doesn't excuse us having a bad game.

 

"It was just one of those games when it didn't happen for us.

 

"We've watched the game again and there were parts when it looked as though we weren't really 'at it'.

 

"Wigan seemed to be winning second balls and looked to just be ahead of us and that's not good enough.

 

"When we've done that before we've bounced back and we've got to do it again.

 

"We've all worked hard to get back 'on blob' and start winning games as soon as possible.

 

"Fortunately we're not in the bottom three after the result but we're only just above it and want to try and rectify that when we next get out there in the league."

 

Ward is now back in the Wolves team after serving a one-game suspension for his harsh sending off at Anfield at Boxing Day.

 

Richard Stearman also felt aggrieved after his dismissal, albeit admitting to the foul which earned his second booking, and Ward insists Wolves have moved on from the incident.

 

"Stears is all fine with us, these things happen in football," he said.

 

"It happened to me not so long ago.

"These things happen in games and you have to deal with it and we didn't deal with it as well as we could have.

 

"Sendings off happen - it's not the first time and won't be the last.

 

"As a team we all just have to learn from it and try and react to these situations a bit better.

 

"We can't dwell on anything from Saturday - we have to move on as quickly as possible because if we don't it will affect us in the coming games as well."