Young guns have Premier League in their sights

The equation is simple - four games, three wins and Premier League football is assured.

Derby, QPR, Barnsley and Doncaster stand between Mick McCarthy, Wolves and promotion.

And we may not even need three wins.

There's no Sylvan, no Kightly, no Iwelumo - but there's also no hint that Wolves are going to throw this outstanding opportunity away.

Granted, Monday at St Andrew's was a 90-minute disaster, but Southampton were blown away on Good Friday - and before collapsing at Blues, Wolves were very solid in March.

And credit McCarthy for his team selection against the Saints. Marlon Harewood was a complete nonentity against Blues, a massive disappointment on a massively disappointing night.

It would have been easy for McCarthy to stick with the on-loan, big-name, big-money Villa man, but he played fair by Sam Vokes and Andy Keogh - and how they repaid him.

Harewood did not deserve to start the game, and the two young guns proved just why.

Keogh, an intelligent footballer who's too often judged unfairly on goals alone, was excellent, and young Vokes thoroughly deserved his standing ovation.

A towering goal inside the first minute highlighted a performance full of strength and running.

Losing Sylvan is a massive blow, because he's a goal machine, but we head to Derby on Monday with 3,000 fans ready to back the understudy strike force to take centre stage.

As we drifted away disconsolately from Molineux after losing 1-0 to Plymouth on February 28, who would have imagined that we'd be in this wonderful position - with Keogh and Vokes leading our assault on promotion?

But that's probably been McCarthy's biggest trick - keeping squad members happy and included, so that they step up to the plate when needed.

And they've certainly been needed. Keogh, Vokes, Matt Hill, David Edwards and the inspirational Jody Craddock have all played important roles as the pressure's mounted and the injury toll's risen.

Hill has looked increasingly comfortable at left back, while Edwards, who was perhaps unfortunate to be replaced at Blues, was an all-action star on Good Friday.

Promotion won't be won on Monday at Pride Park, and it'll be a very tricky game, but I have a sneaking suspicion that it will lay the foundations for a truly memorable trip to Barnsley on Saturday week.

Captain Craddock pilots promotion course

Sometimes a picture says more than a thousand words.

And the delight with which Michael Kightly's goal at the City Ground was received by fans and team mates alike was clear for all to see.

A massive away following, and a massive result - thanks in no small part to the scorelines from St Andrew's and Selhurt Park.

No-one can pretend this was a quality Wolves performance. In fact quality on the ball was the one major thing lacking from this display.

But there won't have been many more gutsy, committed displays in the Championship on Saturday.

Make no mistake, these Wolves players want promotion, and now it's looking increasingly likely that the dream will become a reality.

Built on the fantastic determination displayed by the back four, and the sensational work rate of Sylvan, this was a victory to be really proud of.

Sylvan will probably win the player of the year award, and if he doesn't Kevin Foley will.

And that's absolutely right, but it's a shame there won't be some way to mark the brilliant late-season contribution from Jody Craddock.

No-one has done more to drag Wolves out of their winter malaise, and it was a fitting gesture by Mick McCarthy to leave Craddock as captain despite the return of Karl Henry.

Craddock is simply rock solid right now, winning all his headers and tackles alongside Christophe Berra, who gets better game by game.

Craddock took over from a struggling Richard Stearman against Cardiff, and Wolves have lost one of the seven subsequent games.

With Craddock and Berra in tandem these past seven matches, Wolves have kept four clean sheets and conceded just four goals.

It's not just promotion winning form, it's championship winning form.

And Craddock's outstanding contribution leaves me wondering if there will still be a place for him in McCarthy's squad next season.