Wolves Robbed Again By Officials

Middlesbrough 2-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers

(Emnes (pen) 89, McDonald 90+4)

Wolves suffered late heartbreak at the Riverside as yet another abysmal decision from the officials condemned Wolves to an undeserved defeat. However, it was a defeat that looked like it was coming much earlier on. Boro started the brighter, with former Albion striker Ishmael Miller proving a constant threat cutting in from the right-wing and the match-fit Grant Leadbitter pulling the strings in midfield. Indeed, Wolves' start to the game was horrifically slow and pedestrian. Me, @Matty_WWFC and @Reece_WWFC all remarked how the game felt like a pre-season friendly, or an FA Cup game with two reserve sides. There lacked the pace, passion and intensity of a normal Championship match for the first 20 minutes or so. Wolves in particular struggled to get to grips with Boro's clever passing and switches of play. They got in behind us a couple of times, with Luke Williams going close in the early stages. But Solbakken's men found their feet and got into the game more, with several Bakary Sako free-kicks testing Jason Steele's handling, and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake being denied by a last-ditch Jonathan Woodgate tackle. But the first-half petered out and 0-0 at half-time seemed about right.

Sako: Constant threat to Boro's defence

The second-half started much the same as the first, really, with Wolves struggling to get out of first gear and indeed out of their own half. But despite that, Boro never really threatened at the same level as they did in the first 45. Indeed, as the half went on, it was Wolves who began to push forward and ask questions. Bakary Sako proved - as usual - our main threat to the opposition backline with some driving runs, twisting and turning Justin Hoyte and getting in several powerful shots that Steele had difficulties holding on to at first. Kevin Doyle, too, was beginning to make his presence felt with a few runs at the opposition (clearly his goal at Bristol has changed something in him) while Bjorn Sigurdarson increasingly found himself in central positons. However, as Wolves began to push forward, Boro began to exploit the counter-attack. Luke Williams having two chances to punish Wolves on the break without taking them. But with Wolves attacking shifting the players to the left-side, Boro saw the perfect opportunity to expose the space on our right-side. They brought on Marvin Emnes and he started causing Kevin Foley no end of problems. But still - going into the last 15 minutes - it was the men in Old Gold who looked most likely to snatch a winner. Sako still testing Steele, David Davis going close and Kevin Doyle's header licking the paint off the post.

Wolves protest against the penalty decision

But then came the game-changer, the game-decider really. Middlesbrough got the ball down our left-side, and Emmanuel Ledesma whipped in a cross that appeared to strike Karl Henry on the outside of the shoulder as he tried to turn his arm away. The referee was unmoved but the linesman on the near-side started waving his flag vigorously to indicate handball. To the confusion and fury of the Wolves players, the referee pointed to the spot. The players instantly surrounded the linesman and appealed to the referee to over-rule his assistant, but the decision had been made. Likewise the Wolves fans behind Carl Ikeme's goal made their feelings about the decision perfectly clear. It was an absolutely appalling decision and one which gifted Middlesbrough the chance to steal all three points. The lively Emnes cooly dispatched the spot-kick and moments later, as Wolves searched for an equaliser, it was the Dutchman who hit Wolves on the break and played in Scott McDonald (who looked potentially offside) and he slammed the ball past Ikeme to seal the points for the Teesiders.

Both of Zaha's goals at Molineux shouldn't have counted

But yet again, we're dealing with decisions from officials robbing us of potentially key points. The disgusting decision to award Brighton a late Molineux penalty, the sheer blindness not to award a penalty against Millwall for the foul on Doyle, and of course the decision to send Christophe Berra off at Watford. Three huge, game-changing (and potentially, in the long run, season-changing) decisions that have gone against us - all in the space of the last month! And that's only just scraping the surface of bad decisions we've received both this season and in the 3 Prem years. What about the handball for Palace's equaliser, or the offside for their winner?! Cost us 3 points those two decisions. It is at the point where I am sick and tired of coming back from a match and having the main talking point be a match official. As it is, the referee today seemed determined to get his name in lights, with some incredibly bizzare decisions - including a free-kick for a foul in a position where there hadn't actually been any players present. People that say we have some of the best referees in Europe - well I dread to see European referees then. Unless there is just a pure bias against Wolves (which wouldn't surprise me) because I have spent 3 seasons watching "the best refs in Europe" make abysmal decisions that even my Nan would be ashamed to make! Yes, I am well aware they are human and they make mistakes, but there's mistakes and then there's just downright incompetence. Refereeing in England - from the top to the very bottom - needs a massive overhaul and perhaps the introduction of a "challenge" system (similar to tennis) would be an answer. Captains can challenge a decision and the Fourth Official can watch the video evidence on a monitor and make a final, undisputable decision. We've already seen bad refereeing decisions cost teams dear (Bolton at Stoke on the last day of last season, anyone?!) - it can't be allowed to continue like this much longer, surely.

Solbakken might be wise to start employing a siege mentality

Solbakken regarded today as "an unbelieveable decision" which is "hard to take". Maybe we should embrace that mentality that everyone - including officials - are against us and show that we won't let it stop us. The last time the squad showed that siege mentality, we smashed Bristol City 4-1, so it can't be that bad an idea! Either way, it's a difficult trip to Blackpool up next. A cold windy night on the coast in front of the Sky cameras - what better way to get today's frustration well and truly flushed out of our system!

My Wolves MOTM: Bakary Sako. A constant threat throughout, he showed pace, trickery and an eye for goal and was unlucky not to beat Steele. His set-piece delivery remains a frequent threat to sides too.

Wolves In A Word: Robbed

In Stale We Trust