Back down to earth

We never learn, Jemal Johnson has this week signed from Blackburn Rovers and was making his debut, and he found the net in the nineteenth minute to help his new side to all three points, although it is fair to say our defence gave him more than a helping hand.

There can be no complaints about the result, although we could have easily sneaked a draw against a Wolves side who on this form won't be threatening anyone at the top of the league. We were a poor shadow of the side that won the opening two league games, we never got a grip of the game in midfield and the defenders made some woeful mistakes.

Wayne Thomas and Michael Duff had nightmares, some will blame both for the goal but for me it was Duff, and I still can't work out exactly what he was trying to do when he allowed the ball to bounce past him. I have some sympathy for Thomas who was hung out to dry by his partner, but the captain had a shocker overall.

Although Wolves had produced very little, the goal was always on the cards. We looked lethargic and the visitors were often first to the ball, winning all the tussles and taking control of the midfield with some ease.

We didn't come into the game until we were a goal behind and probably by half time should have got ourselves at least level. Wade Elliott had plenty of opportunities down the right hand side and he did create a half chance for Chris McCann that the youngster stabbed wide after turning.

The nearest we did come was through an Alan Mahon shot that left Matt Murray in the Wolves goal helpless but just missed the target. Mahon, otherwise, was out of sorts and his set pieces were somewhat disappointing, particularly two free kicks from outside the box that were wasted.

There was a shining light throughout all this, and that was Kyle Lafferty who was in the side instead of the suspended Andy Gray. Kyle must be enjoying himself right now, he got his third international cap on Wednesday, scored the winner and then found himself starting the game.

And right on half time he almost got the goal we so needed but the Wolves defenders managed to scramble it away as referee Oliver blew for the interval, and an embarrassing fifteen minutes of so called half time entertainment.

If we'd expected changes for the second half they didn't come initially but just eight minutes in Steve Cotterill made a double substitution. James O'Connor replaced Micah Hyde, who was a long way from his best, and Wade Elliott gave way as Gifton Noel-Williams got his first action for the Clarets since the defeat at Stoke last March.

We changed the system but it wasn't too long before Wolves came very close to doubling the lead from a free kick which Jones smacked against the woodwork with Brian Jensen beaten. It was a let off and one we needed to capitalise on, but it didn't come although we did put Wolves under some pressure in the later stages.

Jimmy O hit a shot over when he should have done better, Mahon came close with an effort from a tight angle, but the best chance of the lot fell to Chris in the closing stages but he wasn't able to get an effort on target and the ball went wide for a goal kick.

There was one moment of laughter towards the end of the game when the sponsors man of the match was announced as Jon Harley, I really don't think there was anyone in the ground who could believe it. There was surely only one man of the match and that had to be Kyle Lafferty who has given the manager something of a poser ahead of the game at Palace with Gray available again.

It was just as we expected against Wolves, but not the sort of performance we needed, there really did seem to be a lack of urgency at times and we didn't put Wolves under enough pressure. Mind you, had we come close then I'm sure Clive Oliver, a most incompetent of referees, would have done something about it.

We need to find some better form for next week – it is not a time for any over reaction, we've still made a good start to the season, but we just don't want that good start to slip. But it was Wolves at home, so we really should have expected it.

The teams were;

Burnley: Brian Jensen, Frank Sinclair, Wayne Thomas, Michael Duff, Jon Harley, Wade Elliott (Gifton Noel-Williams 53), Micah Hyde (James O'Connor 53), Chris McCann, Alan Mahon (Stephen Foster 86), Steve Jones, Kyle Lafferty. Subs not used: Garreth O'Connor, Graham Branch.

Wolves: Matt Murray, Rob Edwards, Jody Craddock, Gary Breen, Jamie Clapham, Rohan Ricketts (Darren Potter 45), Karl Henry, Seyi Olofinjana, Daniel Jones, Jemal Johnson (Craig Davies 74), Leon Clarke. Subs not used: Carl Ikeme, Denes Rosa, Mark Little.

Referee: Clive Oliver (Ashington).

Attendance: 12,245.