Wolves beat Fulham to maintain winning start

Posted on August 22, 2011 by SoccerPunter

Wolves maintained their 100 per cent start to the Premier League season as goals from Kevin Doyle and Matt Jarvis secured a 2-0 win over Fulham on Sunday.

Mick McCarthy’s side had beaten Blackburn in their opener last weekend and they built on that solid victory with an equally impressive display in their first appearance of the campaign in front of their own fans at Molineux.

Fulham were swept aside by two goals in three minutes just before half-time as Republic of Ireland striker Doyle struck first before England winger Jarvis put the hosts in complete control.

While Wolves are flying high after recording back-to-back league wins at the start of a campaign for the first time since the 1998-99 season, Martin Jol’s Fulham have taken one point and are yet to score in their opening two league games.

Fulham had been on top in the opening stages and Pajtim Kasami, on his league debut for the Cottagers, made a burst into Wolves’ box and unleashed a shot which deflected wide.

A slip by Richard Stearman then allowed Fulham midfielder Dickson Etuhu to be teed up for a shot which Wayne Hennessey got down to save.

Doyle had a first sight of goal when he jinked around Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, but the former Reading forward blazed his attempt over the bar.

Schwarzer had to save from Jamie O’Hara soon after but with three minutes remaining in the first half Wolves’ pressure paid off as they snatched the lead.

Receiving the ball from Jarvis, Doyle skipped away from two defenders, turned and lashed it beyond Schwarzer into the net.

Jarvis then sent a curling shot narrowly off target before making it 2-0 in first-half stoppage time, tucking away the rebound after Roger Johnson had headed Hunt’s cross against the post.

Jol made two substitutions at the interval, throwing on Moussa Dembele and Steve Sidwell for Kasami and Etuhu, and shortly after the restart, Damien Duff hit a shot into the ground which bounced wide.

Schwarzer then palmed a fierce strike from Stephen Hunt over the bar before Steven Fletcher saw a shot deflect wide and O’Hara volleyed too high.

Hunt was fortunate to escape with only a yellow card after a wild challenge on Riise and he almost added a third goal for Wolves with a blistering effort that Schwarzer tipped away.