Wolves manager Mick McCarthy left Molineux with a smile on his face after arriving feeling like death warmed up.

McCarthy admitted after his side’s 5-0 rout of Doncaster in an FA Cup third-round replay he had not managed to get out of bed until 4.45pm yesterday afternoon due to illness.

At least McCarthy’s side provided him with the ideal tonic as they cruised through the tie to set up a home tie with Stoke following their 2-0 win at Cardiff after extra-time.

Stephen Fletcher headed Wolves in front in the fifth minute and Geoffrey Mujangi Bia, Kevin Doyle, Matt Jarvis and David Jones all scored after the interval.

“It was really pleasing to watch the lads play as well as we did and see the goals that we scored,” McCarthy said. “And we managed to get through to the next round with five different scorers which is great.

“It was a good professional performance on the back of the game we had at Manchester City on Saturday. I know we lost (4-3), but we played well.”

McCarthy has been ill “off and on” for the last two weeks, adding: “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Somebody tells me it’s a 24-hour bug that has lasted two weeks!

“Maybe it’s a bit of man flu. I’m just soft me, I know, but I was here doing my job and this has helped put a smile on my face.”

The defining moment of the game arrived as early as the third minute when Rovers striker Billy Sharp was denied by goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann.

Fletcher grabbed the opener less than two minutes later, delivering a blow from which the npower Championship side never recovered.

“It would have been a different game if that had have gone in, but it was a really good save,” McCarthy said of the American, who came in for Wayne Hennessey. “That’s the beauty of it when players come in when they’ve not been playing and they keep their standards up.”

Rovers manager Sean O’Driscoll must now lift his side after seeing them concede eight goals in the last two games.

“You cannot give away goals like we did in the Championship, never mind against a Premier League team,” said Wolverhampton-born O’Driscoll, who had family in the 10,000 crowd.

“But credit to Mick, he has his players working to a level they need to survive, or to do well, in the top flight.”