Comfortable Victory
Walsall 0
Wolves 4 (Hemmings 11, Vokes 37, 43, Ebanks-Blake 66)
Wolves cruised to a comfortable victory in a friendly against near neighbours Walsall at The Banks's Stadium. Mick McCarthy used 22 players in the game with the goals coming from Ashley Hemmings, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and Sam Vokes who netted a brace.
The visitors started strongly and home keeper Jonny Brain had to move sharply to block from Vokes after the ball had broken to the Welsh striker inside the home area.
Dave Edwards ballooned a shot high and wide after he had played a one-two with Ebanks-Blake who, moments later, laid a perfect ball into the path of Richard Stearman who wasn't far away with a 25-yards drive.
But the intense pressure on The Saddlers rearguard had to pay off and it did in the 11th minute as 19-year-old Hemmings ran in at the back post to beat Brain all ends up with a powerful header after a precision cross from the right from Greg Halford.
Hemmings's persistence almost rewarded him with a second when he won possession outside the home area and rode a tackle before firing narrowly over the bar.
In the 18th minute Hemmings lifted a cross over that Halford hooked into the side netting and then, in a rare Walsall goal attempt, Clayton McDonald headed tamely wide following Matt Richards's free-kick.
There was a chance for Troy Deeney after Steve Jones had guided a low cross into his path but Scott Malone read the situation and ran across to boot the ball clear in a nick of time.
Richard Taundry then hit a shot narrowly off target before Wolves went two up in the 37th minute. Malone took the ball to the by-line before delivering a low cross that was flicked into the net from close range by Vokes.
Vokes made it three just six minutes later as he ran on to Hemmings's header and took the ball around Brain before slipping it into the net.
Just before the break Paul Marshall's well struck shot curled narrowly wide.
Half-Time: Walsall 0 Wolves 3
Four minutes after the resumption Danny Batth headed over following a Malone free-kick and then Manny Smith denied Halford by blocking the midfielder's goalbound shot following a cross from Edwards.
Midway through the half Ebanks-Blake, who had looked sharp throughout, added a fourth as he sprinted into the right of The Saddlers box and held off a challenge from Oliver Lancashire before lashing an angled shot inside the far post.
Two minutes later Wolves boss McCarthy made a mass substitution replacing ten players with John Dunleavy, a replacement for Stearman a few minutes earlier, the only man to remain on the field.
Kevin Doyle looked on for a goal when he ran onto Matt Jarvis's centre but a defender blocked in the six-yard box.
Then, when Brain blocked a drive from Dave Jones, Doyle swooped onto the loose ball only for the Walsall keeper to save at close range.
Doyle was in the thick of things and he had another opportunity after Steven Fletcher had slipped a pass to him but this time he shot wide.
Walsall almost grabbed a consolation but Deeney's header was a foot too high after Steve Jones had supplied a fine cross from the left.
Walsall: Brain, Westlake (Stokes 72), Lescott, McDonald (Lancashire 64), Smith, S. Jones (Paterson 89), Richards (Geddes 76), Deeney (Grigg 82), Nicholls (Byfield 64), Marshall, Taundry (capt).
Unused subs: Hickman, Bowerman, Bevan.
Wolves: Ikeme (McCarey 68), Stearman (Dunleavy 59), Malone (Van Damme 68), Edwards (Henry 68), Batth (Craddock 68), Elokobi (Berra 68), Halford (Winnall 68), Foley (capt) (D. Jones 68), Ebanks-Blake (Doyle 68), Vokes (Fletcher 68), Hemmings (Jarvis 68).
Unused subs: Davis, Rooney, Spray, Ebanks-Landell.
Referee: R. Lewis.
Attendance: 4,963 (2,624 away supporters).
Pictured: Ashley Hemmings celebrates his goal.
