Wolves 3 Burton 1 – Report and pictures

Helder Costa opened the scoring early on with a cool finish from Conor Coady's pass and Benik Afobe doubled Wolves' advantage on 42 minutes.

Lloyd Dyer surprisingly pulled a goal back for the Brewers on the stroke of half time but Afobe wrapped up the points when he netted early in the second half and Wolves coasted to victory thereafter.

Analysis

After a 4-1 humbling at Villa the visits of Reading and Burton to Molineux looked the most appetising of fixtures...and so it's proved to be.

Just seven days ago Nuno Espirito Santo's team saw their lead to third cut to seven points, but here it (perhaps temporarily) was back to 13 with just eight games left, writes Tim Spiers at Molineux.

The opposition have been meek and obliging. However these last few days have seen Wolves pass a big test of their character, following two potentially crippling defeats in three games to promotion rivals.

Instead of wilting, instead of changing their style, instead of going into their shells, Wolves have expressed themselves in two games of breathtaking comfort.

It's set them up perfectly for the international break, during which they can rest, recuperate and recharge themselves for the final eight-game run in.

And it's at Molineux where promotion could be signed, sealed and delivered. Hull City, Derby County, Birmingham City and Sheffield Wednesday visit WV1...four victories and a place in the top flight is surely theirs.

That will certainly be the case if Benik Afobe (four goals in four games) continues the goalscoring run everyone hoped he would go on, while behind him Helder Costa, Ivan Cavaleiro and Ruben Neves are playing as well as they have all season, making a mockery of any fatigue suggestions.

On this form you wouldn't bet against Wolves wrapping it up with time to spare. What a difference a week makes.

Match report

As expected Nuno made one change from the team that beat Reading in midweek with Ivan Cavaleiro coming in for the injured Diogo Jota.

Wolves were huge favourites to win the game and they soon took charge in terms of dictating play, with Burton intent on defending for their lives with a five-man defence.

Barry Douglas and Helder Costa were getting in good positions on either flank, Cavaleiro was seeing plenty of the ball and Benik Afobe was coming deep to link play with good effect.

It didn't take long for Wolves to break the deadlock and it was no surprise to see the lively Costa score it. Conor Coady stepped out of defence and sprayed a perfect pass to the Portuguese winger who beat the offside trap and slotted past keeper Stephen Bywater.

Burton came out of their shells and had a couple of half chances in the Wolves box, but there was nothing for John Ruddy to deal with.

Down the other end Wolves were slowly prising apart the Burton defence as they searched for a second goal. Cavaleiro forced Bywater into a diving save with a curling effort and then Romain Saiss won the ball 20 yards from goal and fired inches wide with the keeper motionless.

It seemed only a matter of time before they doubled their lead and on 42 minutes they did, with Afobe this time beating the offside trap to latch onto a gorgeous Ruben Neves pass and beat the keeper with ease.

It was so comfortable for Wolves...but perhaps a little too comfortable. At a quiet Molineux the visitors surprisingly pulled one back against the run of play just before half time, with Lloyd Dyer's deflected shot wrong-footing Ruddy and flying into the net.

It was an underwhelming end to a fairly unremarkable half of football, during which you got the impression if Wolves moved through the gears they could dish out a hiding.

Well it wasn't long before they did just that in the early stages of the second half, as they swiftly put the game to bed.

Shortly after Cavaleiro had crashed wide from a great position, the same player teed up Afobe who coolly side-footed home from 12 yards for his fourth goal in four games.

He nearly reached his hat-trick soon after, only to be denied almost right on the line after superb work from Cavaleiro and Doherty.

The Irishman scored twice on Tuesday evening and a brilliant block from McCrory denied him after some pinball in the box.

It was one-way traffic and only a matter of how many Wolves could score, with Burton leaving big gaps in midfield as they fruitlessly tried to chase the game.

Neves found Costa with a quite frankly ridiculous through ball but the keeper smothered, then substitute Morgan Gibbs-White shot wide after being beautifully picked out by Saiss.

With Molineux having found its voice the final 30 minutes were a procession, with Burton not offering a single shot in the second half as Wolves extended their lead in comfortable fashion.

Key moments

15 – GOAL – Conor Coady's raking through ball finds HELDER COSTA and he beats the keeper

42 – GOAL – Ruben Neves picks out BENIK AFOBE who smashes into the net from the edge of the area.

45 – GOAL – Burton pull one back when a LLOYD DYER shot takes a deflection past Ruddy.

56 – GOAL – Ivan Cavaleiro puts it on a plate for BENIK AFOBE who side-foots home from 12 yards.

62 – Nearly a hat-trick for Afobe but he can't quite bundle over the line from Doherty's low cross.

Teams

Wolves (3-4-3): John Ruddy; Bennett, Coady (c), Boly; Doherty, Saiss, Neves (N'Diaye, 90), Douglas; Costa, Afobe (Bonatini, 81), Cavaleiro (Gibbs-White, 75). Subs: Norris, Batth, Miranda, Mir.

Goals: Costa (15), Afobe (42, 56)

Burton: Bywater, McFadzean, Dyer, Flanagan, McCrory, Naylor, Sordell, Davenport, Akpan, Buxton, Boyce. Subs: Murphy, Bent, Varney, Campbell, Barker, Egert.

Goal: Dyer (45)

Attendance: 29,977

Referee: Geoff Eltringham

League position

1st (82 points from 38 matches)