McCarthy keen to improve on lead

Wolves confirmed their welcome return to form with their second away win in five days on Saturday as Sylvan Ebanks-Blake's 23rd goal of the season saw off Sheffield Wednesday to retain their three-point lead with nine games left.

Victory at Hillsborough followed hot on the heels of Tuesday's success at Crystal Palace by the same 1-0 scoreline as McCarthy's side made it back-to-back wins and successive clean sheets for the first time since December 20.

Saturday's win saw Wolves extend their lead over third-placed Reading to seven points after the Royals drew 2-2 at Plymouth, which means Steve Coppell's side can't overtake Wolves even if they win their two games in hand.

McCarthy said: "If we continue to play as well as we have over the last two games, we'll be alright.

"Winning matches is what's important.

"Ourselves, Birmingham and Reading have been the best teams so far because we've won more games and got more points, but the rest are all chasing and snapping at our heels.

"When you're chasing, you keep grinding away and the problem when you're at the top is thinking it's almost within touching distance and you beat yourself up about it."

McCarthy insists his belief in his side has never wavered despite their recent run of one win in 11 games.

"I was optimistic we could see it through right from starting off in August and that's never wavered," he said.

But he believes Wolves' critics haven't been so confident and reckons they were happy to knock them during t"They put you on a pedestal and then they want to knock you off – I think it's a British thing. I don't want to see the lads falter because they deserve to be where they are on merit."

By TIM NASH