Halsey was correct to send off Carsley in the 37th minute when his left foot, lunging towards the ball, carried on high into Iwelumo’s knee. The gasps from the Tilton Road End told you it was a bad one, and Iwelumo’s leg, which was planted, buckled horribly.
Halsey’s general handling of a frenetic derby wasn’t great. He missed a lot of things, let other incidents go and didn’t impose any authority. It contributed to the rumbustious nature and, if anything, that was fine by Blues, and engaged a crowd that, for so often this season, has been dormant or complaining.
Wolves were out-battled and lacked the kind of desire – and experience and organisation – that Blues plainly possessed.
Alex McLeish adjusted his side in the second half by bringing on James McFadden for Kevin Phillips. Keith Fahey moved inside and McFadden wide to the left.
McCarthy sent on Matt Jarvis and later Sam Vokes to try to get the creative juices going, but Blues defended just right and never let Wolves get a proper sniff down the flanks or in the channels, and any crosses were dealt with emphatically by Jaidi and Ridgewell.
A stinging attempt by Lee Bowyer brought a good save out of Hennessey, Sebastian Larsson went close with a rising half-volley and Blues looked more likely to score, despite the handicap of Carsley’s dismissal.
O’Connor, who came on in the 57th minute for Jerome, did a more than useful turn as the solitary striker and it was his aggressive opportunism that sent St Andrew’s into raptures.
Chasing down David Murphy’s ball forward, he bustled on to Christope Berra’s weak back-header, rode through Hennessey’s diving challenge and, from a tight angle, slid the ball over the goal line.
The celebrations said it all. Everyone knew the significance of the goal, and everyone at that point became a believer – yes, Blues can go up.
Maik Taylor made a tip-over save from Jarvis late on but, in reality, for the 53 minutes Blues had ten men, their goalkeeper was well protected and had few anxious moments.
St Andrew’s was alive and bristling again last night, just as the team was in making it six games unbeaten and knocking what appeared to be a title procession for Wolves off kilter.
BLUES (4-4-2): Taylor 7, Carr 7, Murphy 7, JAIDI 7, Ridgewell 7, Larsson 7 (Bouazza, 87), Carsley 5, Bowyer 7, Fahey 7, Jerome 7 (O’Connor 57, 7), Phillips 6. Not used: Queudrue, Doyle.
WOLVES (4-4-2): Hennessey 4, Foley 5, Hill 5 (* Jarvis ht, 6), Berra 4, Craddock 5, Edwards 5 (Vokes 62, 5), Henry 5, Jones 5, Ward 5, Harewood 4, Iwelumo 6 (Keogh 40, 5). Not used: Stearman, Higgs.
Referee: M Halsey (Lancs).
