Wolves joy, but injury worries

Wolves were today assessing their injury list as the physio's room resembled a scene from Emergency Ward 10.Boss Mick McCarthy was forced to make three substitutions in the first half of the battling 3-1 win at Sheffield United.

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Two other Wolves players suffered serious injuries while playing on loan, and Michael Kightly ended the night with a broken nose.

Wolves lost Dave Edwards and Carl Ikeme to injury in the first half, David Jones (calf strain) at half time and then saw Michael Kightly suffer a suspected broken nose in the closing stages.

Centre-half Darren Ward suffered a suspected fractured cheekbone playing for Watford at Bristol City.

Even more heart-breaking was the news that goalkeeper Matt Murray suffered a suspected recurrence of his knee ligament trouble while playing for Hereford United - leaving serious question marks over his future.

Commenting after the win at Bramall Lane, McCarthy said: "It was nice to get the seventh (straight) win but it was maybe a bit unexpected here.

"We knew it was going to be a tough game and that was the case.

"It was fast and furious, and a real aerial battle and I thought we defended against it really well.

"It was like the Somme out there with three of them carted off but then at the other end we've had some real quality finishes.

"It takes a lot of different qualities to win a game and while the quality of Chris (Iwelumo) and Sylvan (Ebanks-Blake) at one end has proved the key, the platform was laid by some really stoic defending at the other."

This was accompanied by McCarthy's plea to Wolves fans not to start chicken counting.

"Of course it's a lovely position to be in," he said. "But it means didly-squat. Nothing is won at this stage."

McCarthy admitted that today's rest for the players was badly needed, although he insisted he had no complaints about the physical nature of the Sheffield United challenge.

"Dave Edwards landed awkwardly and had to come off because he was dizzy but he's okay now," he said.

"Carl got a gashed shin which has had stitches and a bruised hip which was causing him problems and David came off with a calf strain.

"Kights has got what could be a broken nose so I don't think he'll want to be playing at centre half."