WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS 1 (Collins 13)

BARNSLEY 0

NEILL Collins' early goal was the difference between the two teams as the Reds threw everything they had at Wolves in the closing stages but just could not find an equaliser.

Simon Davey made one change to the side that beat Blackpool last time out with Dominik Werling returning at left back at the expense of Rob Kozluk, who missed out altogether. Wolves, managed former Red Mick McCarthy, recalled Jay Bothroyd with Andy Keogh dropping to the bench.

Wolves were on the front foot right from the off as Werling's slip eventually fell to Karl Henry but the midfielder shot straight at Stephen Foster from 18 yards.

At the other end Jody Craddock had to be alert to clear Jamal Campbell-Ryce's cross on six minutes but the Wolves defender gave his keeper a nervous moment as he slice the ball just over the bar from six yards.

Heinz Muller had to be alert on eight minutes as Jay Bothroyd let fly with a quickly taken free kick from 25 yards but the big German covered his goal well to make an easy save.

Jon Macken combined wonderfully well with Martin Devaney on eleven minutes to give the winger half a chance on the edge of the area but Darren Ward was quickly over to block his shot.

Barnsley gifted Wolves the lead on 13 minutes as no-one in a Reds shirt bothered to keep an eye on Neill Collins from Kightly's corner and the defender was given a free header from six yards. Collins did not miss and powered his effort past Muller.

The Reds had a great shout for a penalty waved away on 16 minutes when Istvan Ferenczi's shot was handled in the area by Craddock. The referee gave nothing despite a massive Barnsley protest and Campbell-Ryce could not put the rebound on target.

Barnsley pushed on and pinned Wolves back only to be hit on the counter attack on 18 minutes as Freddy Eastwood and Bothroyd broke quickly. The ball eventually came back to Eastwood but the striker could only lash his shot high over the bar from 16 yards.

Wolves really should have been out of sight on 23 minutes when Collins crashed a header against the upright from Bothroyd's free kick. The ball bounced out to Craddock, who also smacked the same post from 12 yards out.

Eastwood almost made it two just a minute later as he left Dennis Souza chasing shadows after turning well onto Bothroyd's pass but dragged his shot wide of the far corner.

Stephen Ward then had Muller scrambling on 26 minutes as he cut in from the left wing before shooting an inch or so over the bar.

Bothroyd again managed to find a yard of space in front of the Reds defence on the half hour as he turned well but saw his shot well blocked away.

A foul on Ferenczi gave the Reds a rare sight of goal on 32 minutes but Werling smashed his free kick against a team mate and harmlessly wide of the target.

Wolves again went close from a set piece on 37 minutes as Bothroyd's corner fell to Darren Ward at the back post and the defender really should have done better than only testing Muller with his first time shot.

Barnsley wasted a golden chance to get back into the game on 40 minutes as Brian Howard broke quickly against an outnumbered Wolves defence but picked the wrong pass to Ferenczi when Macken was waiting to his left for a tap in.

Again Wolves pressed forward on 43 minutes with Eastwood lashing a shot high over the bar from 25 yards.

Barnsley were better after the break but were always up against it defensively. They made a complete mess of a Kightly corner again on 57 minutes as Muller and Werling left it to each other but somehow the Reds managed to clear Stephen Ward's shot.

Stephen Ward was in again a minute later as he found space at the back post but saw his shot strike Eastwood and bounce clear. Kightly then managed to turn well in the area onto Eastwood's pass on 63 minutes but found Muller in fine form as he lashed the ball goalward.

The Reds finally fashioned a shot on target on 65 minutes as Campbell-Ryce fired an effort against a defender and through to Wayne Hennessey.

Barnsley had the ball in the back of the net on 71 minutes when Ferenczi appeared to beat the Wolves offside trap to head Howard's free kick past Hennessey only to be denied by official Amy Rayner's flag.

Devaney was an inch away from the equaliser on 74 minutes as he cut in from the left before curling a shot agonisingly wide of the post. Devaney again went close on 88 minutes as he brought a save from Hennessey from 12 yards.

For all the Reds late pressure, Eastwood could have made the game safe on 90 minutes as he broke into the area before bringing a fine low save from Muller.

Kayode Odejayi almost stole a point with the last kick off the game as he raced to charge down Hennessey but could only deflect the ball back over the bar.

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS: Hennessey, D. Ward, Collins, Olofinjana, Craddock, Kightly (Potter 74), Henry, Bothroyd (Keogh 68), S. Ward, Eastwood, Foley.
Subs: Little, Jarvis, Stack.

BARNSLEY: Muller, Foster, Nyatanga, Souza, Werling (Odejayi 84), Campbell-Ryce (Ricketts 77), Howard, Togwell (McCann 80), Devaney, Ferenczi, Macken.
Subs: Reid, Mostto.