Wolves 1 Newcastle United 2: Sunday Mercury big match report and picture gallery

Oct 2 2011 by Bill Howell, Sunday Mercury

KEVIN Doyle was cruelly robbed of an injury-time leveller by a linesman’s flag as the ball was wrongly adjudged to have been out of play when Matt Jarvis headed Adam Hammill’s cross back across goal.

Steven Fletcher had nodded his eighth goal in 12 league games with just three minutes remaining to give Wolves hope.

Mick McCarthy’s side had thrown everything at unbeaten Newcastle for the final 20 minutes and by the end the visitors were out on their feet.

When five minutes of time was shown on the fourth official’s board an equaliser looked inevitable. But as good as Wolves were in the latter stages their first half defending left a lot to be desired as Demba Ba and Jonas Gutierrez propelled the Magpies into a comfortable 2-0 lead.

Referee Mark Halsey had incensed Wolves at the end of the half when he turned away two loud penalty shouts.

The first when he gave a free-kick on the edge of the box after Steven Taylor felled Jamie O’Hara, although replays showed he was a yard inside.

Moments later Matt Jarvis surged past Danny Simpson and went to ground – probably far too easily.

The home fans sent a message to Karl Henry by loudly cheering his substitution before the hour mark and certainly Adlene Guedioura’s introduction helped give Wolves some purpose.

But their fourth straight league defeat, and one point from 15 available, now has them looking over their shoulders ahead of the Black Country derby following the international break.