Wolves 1, Wigan 2: Bill Howell's big match verdict

Dec 27 2010 , Birmingham Mail

THE sacks of goodies looked appetising enough but were full of handkerchiefs, socks and cheap boxer shorts.

The TV looked good but on closer inspection it was re-runs of Willy Wonka, 70s sit-coms, Paul O’Grady and Cilla Black.

The fridge was well stacked with alcohol but it had been left opened since the victory over Blues and had gone as flat as a pancake.

The crackers limply fell apart without the scent of a snap.

The mince pies were rock hard.

The dog appeared to have done his business in the corner of the living room and a strange smell was emanating from an area where an elderly relative had begun to snooze after too many sherries.

Yes, Mr Scrooge had been to Molineux and delivered a generous heap of misery.

Boos at half-time and even louder boos at the final whistle.

The script was supposed to see Wolves metaphorically get past first base with the office flirt in finally escaping the bottom three after finding their feet in bashing the Blues.

But in truth they failed to turn up and in doing so sank to the very bottom of the Premier pile.

All the optimism of Sunderland and Birmingham blown away, leaving only questions and self-doubt. The Premier swagger of a fortnight back replaced by a Championship cha-cha.

A trip to Anfield now lies ahead against a side who were handed Christmas off by a freezing Blackpool pitch.

Wigan, like Bolton before them, blew Wolves away with some well-worked goals and it was demanding too much from Santa to ask for another stirring fightback.

The second half saw the visitors hand Wolves large chunks of the ball but few chances came their way and with Charles N’Zogbia’s pace and trickery and Hugo Rodallega’s quality on the break a far more handsome victory always looked the likely outcome.

But somehow Wigan didn’t increase their advantage and when Matt Jarvis, on as a 55th-minute substitute, conjured a ball out of nothing and Steven Fletcher snaffled a well-taken fifth goal of the season, an unlikely point was on the cards.