Southampton 2 (Wright-Phillips 39, Jones 70)
Wolves 0
The trip to the south coast proved to be a fruitless one for Wolves as Southampton eased their way to a 2-0 victory over the Molineux team.
As expected, David Wheater made his debut and Carl Cort started his first game since the victory at Leeds in September. Jody Craddock and Jay Bothroyd had both failed to recover from the injuries they sustained in the Sheffield Wednesday game.
Wolves kicked-off defending the end of the ground that housed around 1,000 travelling supporters. Within 30 seconds the Saints had won a corner but Inigo Idiakez's kick was cleared.
One time Molineux midfielder Jermaine Wright saw his goalbound shot from the 18-yard line blocked by Wheater before Jamie Clapham played a short corner to Karl Henry whose cross into the heart of the box was only cleared with difficulty.
In the 25th minute Seyi Olofinjana fired at goal from 25-yards but his effort was too high. Then, moments later, Bradley Wright-Phillips was wide with a shot on the turn.
Darren Potter was booked for tripping Gareth Bale and Rohan Rcketts volleyed over after a short free-kick had been played to him following Claus Lundekvam's foul on Cort just outside the Saints box.
Wright-Phillips broke the deadlock in the 39th minute when he cleverly created an opening for himself before finding the bottom corner of the net with an angled shot.
The former Manchester City man caused more problems for Wolves in stoppage time when another run ended when he fell under a challenge from Olofinjana. Free-kick specialist Idiakez saw the ball cannon off the wall for a corner that came to nothing.
Half-Time: Saints 1 Wolves 0
An early Ricketts free-kick from wide on the left was cleared but the Wolves defence was soon back under pressure with Rob Edwards heading clear a dangerous centre from Kenwyne Jones.
Mick McCarthy made a double switch in the 57th minute sending Lewis Gobern and Jemal Johnson on for Potter and Leon Clarke respectively.
And the move almost had an immediate effect with Gobern winning a corner on the right. Olofinjana met Clapham's flag-kick with a firm header that was blocked in the six-yard box.
Wolves had been enjoying their best spell of attacking pressure in the game when Southampton increased their lead in the 70th minute.
A long punt upfield was chased by Wheater and Jones and it was the home striker that won the battle by turning his man before lashing a low shot past Matt Murray.
Three Wolves corners led to nothing and when Mario Licka felled Henry near the left-hand corner of the home area, Clapham's free-kick was nodded down by Cort but booted clear by a defender.
A tremendous scramble in the Wolves area saw the ball break to the unmarked Rudi Skacel in the six-yard box. He looked a certain scorer but Murray somehow blocked at point blank range.
Murray made another fine save in the closing minutes when he stopped a Wright-Phillips shot with his legs after Licka had fired in a low cross. The ball broke to substitute Andy Surman but Gary Breen managed to block.
Saints: Davis, Makin, Baird, Lundekvam (capt), Bale, Dyer (Licka 72), Wright, Idiakez, Skacel (Surman 84), Wright-Phillips, Jones.
Unused subs: Miller, Pele, Lallana.
Wolves: Murray, Edwards (Little 84), Clapham, Potter (Gobern 57), Breen (capt), Wheater, Henry, Cort, Clarke (Johnson 57), Olofinjana, Ricketts.
Unused subs: Ikeme, Davies.
Booking: Potter (34 - foul).
Ref: M. Thorpe.
Attendance: 18,979.
