Stoke City 2-1 Wolves

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<div class="track"><img alt="" src="http://hits.guardian.co.uk/b/ss/guardiangu-feeds/1/H.24.1.1/41239?ns=guardian&pageName=Stoke+City+2-1+Wolverhampton+Wanderers+%7C+Premier+League+match+report%3AArticle%3A1728631&ch=Football&c3=Obs&c4=Premier+League+2011-12%2CPremier+League+%28Football%29%2CFootball%2CStoke+City+%28Football%29%2CWolverhampton+Wanderers+%28Football%29&c5=Unclassified%2CPremier+League&c6=Richard+Rae&c7=12-Apr-07&c8=1728631&c9=Article&c10=Match+report&c11=Football&c13=&c25=&c30=content&c42=Sport&h2=GU%2FSport%2FFootball%2FPremier+League+2011-12" width="1" height="1" /></div><p>The presence in the crowd of the former Bolton and, most recently, Sheffield Wednesday manager Gary Megson, that regular port of call for desperate chairmen, may mean Terry Connor has overseen his last game as manager of Wolverhampton Wanderers. This game was his seventh in charge, the last six of which have now been lost, but the lack of quality was such that it is hard to imagine any manager steering them away from relegation now.</p><p>Connor's predictable decision to leave out the Wolves captain, Roger Johnson, was made, he insisted in the buildup, on the grounds of the central defender having been responsible for two of the goals conceded in last week's defeat against Bolton, although the standup row with his goalkeeper, Wayne Hennessey, cannot have helped his case.</p><p>Arguably more surprising was Connor's decision to replace Johnson in central defence with Richard Stearman, whose recent performances at full-back have hardly been convincing.</p><p>The Stoke manager, Tony Pulis, could call on wingers Matthew Etherington and Jermaine Pennant, both of whom had recovered from ankle injuries. The afternoon's results had gone Wolves' way, at least to the extent that none of Wigan, Bolton and Blackburn had been able to extend the gap between Connor's team and safety.</p><p>The visitors were fortunate not to concede a penalty in the second minute,&nbsp;when Karl Henry appeared to trip Jon Walters, but there was a brightness about their early movement that suggested their spirit had not been entirely extinguished.</p><p>Stoke supporters, still shaking their heads about Peter Crouch's marvellous volley against Manchester City, momentarily held their breaths when the striker's flick-on fell nicely for Walters. With Hennessey off his line, a 40-yarder was worth trying, but lightning rarely strikes twice and Walters' effort was well over the bar.</p><p>Gradually Stoke began to exert themselves and, after 23 minutes, should have gone ahead. Marc Wilson's cross to the far post was headed back, down&nbsp;and across goal by Crouch, leaving Walters needing only to make a reasonably firm&nbsp;contact to steer it over the line. Stumbling forward, he succeeded only in guiding the ball the wrong side of the&nbsp;post.</p><p>It was a remarkable let-off and an unfamiliar feeling that perhaps this was going to be Wolves' day intensified two minutes later. Michael Kightly cut in from the right wing and, seeing Dave Edwards make a run, curled the ball with the outside of his foot into the City penalty area. It should have been easily gathered by Asmir Begovic, but the Stoke goalkeeper was anticipating the stretching Edwards would get a touch. The midfielder failed to do so, Begovic was flat-footed and the ball bounced past him into the goal.</p><p>Defensively, however, Wolves were looking increasingly shaky and it was no surprise that Stoke levelled before the break. A Sébastien Bassong clearance was nodded back into their penalty area by Glenn Whelan and chested down by Ryan Shawcross for Robert Huth to half-volley firmly towards goal. Hennessey was in line and should have saved, but his attempt to block with his feet was clumsily unsuccessful.</p><p>Wolves came close to retaking the lead shortly after half-time, but Bassong, throwing himself at Kightly's nicely flighted free-kick, headed just wide.</p><p>Crouch, on the other hand, was accuracy personified when he rose to meet Pennant's free-kick shortly after the hour. It might have helped Wolves if Stearman had made a challenge worthy of the name.</p><p>Thereafter Wolves worked hard to get back into the game, but their lack of quality was painful.</p><p>The better chances, such as they were, fell to Stoke. The Potters have now passed the 40-point mark and have a run-in that suggests another finish in the top half of the table is within their grasp.</p><div class="related" style="float: left; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><ul><li><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/premier-league-2011-12">Premier League 2011-12</a></li><li><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/premierleague">Premier League</a></li><li><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/stokecity">Stoke City</a></li><li><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/wolves">Wolverhampton Wanderers</a></li></ul></div><div class="author"><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/richardrae">Richard Rae</a></div><br/><div class="terms"><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk">guardian.co.uk</a> &copy; 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. 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