Strike duo stretch Wolves' lead

Ebanks-Blake: Celebrates winner

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Wolves established a four-point lead at the top of the Championship after a battling 2-1 win at Cardiff City.

The leaders were 2-0 up inside the opening 10 minutes as goals from strike duo Chris Iwelumo and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake put the visitors in command.

Ross McCormack pulled one back for Cardiff, managed by former Wolves boss Dave Jones, and the hosts missed a couple of good chances late on to salvage a point.

Iwelumo fired the visitors ahead after just four minutes when he latched on to Karl Henry's long header.

The ball looped over a hapless Roger Johnson and Iwelumo charged through, evaded a Joe Ledley challenge and slotted home beautifully across goalkeeper Tom Heaton for his eighth goal of the season.

They then doubled their advantage four minutes later when Michael Kightly sent a precision ball in from the right flank to Ebanks-Blake.

Wolves' top scorer evaded the offside trap and sidefooted the ball across Heaton from the most acute of angles on the right-hand side of the six-yard box.

Crushing blow

The hosts' evening went from bad to worse when former Wolves striker Jay Bothroyd pulled up with a hamstring injury after 12 minutes - he was replaced by Miguel Comminges.

But Cardiff pulled a goal back after 19 minutes when Paul Parry's superb cross from the left found top scorer McCormack unmarked in the Wolves box.

He did not need a second invitation, taking the ball down and lashing it into the top corner with his left foot from 12 yards.

Wolves nearly bagged a third on the stroke of half-time when Heaton's punch from a Dave Jones corner looped goalwards.

It was cleared off the line by Peter Whittingham to keep Cardiff in the contest.

The Bluebirds should have had a penalty four minutes after the break when McCormack raced clean through on goal and his ankle was caught by Kevin Foley.

But referee Steve Tanner waved play on as the Cardiff striker went down in pain, holding his hamstring, before being replaced by Eddie Johnson a few minutes later.

This came as a crushing blow to the home team, who lacked the spearhead they needed to get back into the match.

Their best chance was blown by Roger Johnson two minutes from time when he prodded Whittingham's corner over from just three yards with the goal gaping.

Substitute Eddie Johnson nearly rescued a point in the final minute of stoppage-time but his stunning half-volley was well saved by Wolves goalkeeper Carl Ikeme, as his side held firm for all three points.