Standard is set

Gaffer wants same again at Middlesbrough

Kenny Jackett said his first feeling after Wolves defeated Derby County was to ensure that remains the standard for the closing stages of the Sky Bet Championship season.

Wolves ended a seven-game winless streak with Saturday’s 2-1 victory at Molineux, but now face an equally challenging assignment away to Middlesbrough in front of the Sky Sports cameras on Friday night (7.45pm).

And the Head Coach knows it will need an equally good performance, if not better, to return from the Riverside Stadium with a positive result.

"I think there’s a lot to build on there in terms of performances, both individual and as a team,” said Jackett.

"We’re 12 off the play-offs and 14 off the relegation places, and that’s where we are.

"Finishing this season very strongly is something I’m determined to do.

“My first emotion after the game was determination to build on that, and not to slip back to a Brentford performance, which is a big contrast.

"Maybe that is the hallmark of a mid-table side.

“But we want to set standards more for the Derby performance than Brentford.

"And we want to try and build on what we’ve done, keep those standards high, keep on those same lines.

“Hopefully we can continue to set standards and eradicate any inconsistency, which has been there, definitely.

“We’ve had spells where we’ve been looking a good team, and with the addition of X, Y and Z we could go on to be one of the better sides.

“But we’ve also had spells where we’ve looked like we’re just going to fall away, and be heading towards the bottom.”

The home fans responded to a positive performance on Saturday, especially in the closing stages preceding and following George Saville’s winning goal.

And Jackett wants them to have more to shout about between now and the end of the season.

“It’s been a while since the place has felt like that,” he added.

"We want to give them results and performances that build up the numbers and put some passion into them.

“Once the second goal went in they were driving us on towards the win – that’s exactly what we want.”