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Monday 13 August 2012

Wolves

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS 1-1- ALDERSHOT TOWN
(aet; 7-6 on penalty kicks)
Saturday 11th August 2012
Football League Capital One Cup 1st Round
Molineux


A case of back to normal today, or certainly being a more sedate weekend after the amount of travelling done previously with my trips down to London and South Wales. Today due to taking advantage of cheap tickets sees myself and my dad head west to Wolverhampton for a visit to Molineux, home of Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club.

I have visited numerous non-league clubs in the area since 1999, of which these include Bilston Town, Goodrich, Willenhall Town and Wednesfield so when I saw that they (Wolves) were selling tickets for this game at £10 + a £1.50 booking fee it became a no-brainer. Tickets were purchased three weeks ago, with our tickets for the middle of the Billy Wright Stand - Upper Tier.

We arrived in Wolverhampton with around an hour to kick-off, and managed to park a few minutes walk away in a private car park that cost £5. A programme was purchased before having a walk round the ground and taking some photographs. The view was excellent from our seats with it being on the half way line, though the leg room was very limited.

Wolves were founded in 1877 as St. Lukes Football Club, and just two years later merged with The Wanderers to form the club known today. They have played at their Molineux ground since 1889 , while a year earlier were founder members of the Football League.

Without wittling on about the club all I have decided to do is list the club's first team honours:

Football League Champions: 1953/54; 1957/58; 1958/59
Football League 2nd Division winners: 1931/32; 1976/77
Football League Championship winners: 2008/09
Football League Division 3 North winners: 1923/24
Football League Division 3 winners: 1988/89
Football League Division 4 winners: 1987/88
FA Cup winners: 1893; 1908; 1949' 1960
Football League Cup winners: 1974; 1980
FA Charity Shield winners: 1949 (shared); 1954 (shared); 1959; 1960 (shared)
Football League Trophy winners: 1988
Texaco Cup winners: 1971


The game was not one of the best I have seen but certainly not as bad as the dross served up last week at the Millennium Stadium. Like last week the game ended 1-1 after extra time and went to a penalty shoot out. The first time I have ever seen two consecutive shoot outs - Wolves won this one 7-6 to progress to round two, though will have to pay considerably better than this if this wish to advance to the latter stages.

The home side always looked the better side but were for the most part toothless and had very little bite. The dangerous Sylvan Ebanks-Blake gave them the lead on 53 minutes, scoring from an acute angle after good work from Tongo Doumbia. The lead lasted just nine minutes when Michael Rankine headed home a Josh Payne corner. The remainder of the ninety minutes petered out and it inevitably went into extra-time. The closest either side came in extra-time was when Anthony Forde rattled the post with a rasping shot.

With thirteen penalty kicks successfully converted Wolves' keeper Carl Ikeme saved Jordan Roberts effort to put his side into the next round.
  
Admission: £10 + £1.50 b/fee
Programme: £2.50
Badge: £2
Attendance: 11,555

A slideshow of ground photos can be viewed below:



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