Wolverhampton Wanderers’ top five Championship games of the 2015/16 season

On Saturday, Wolves finished the 2015/16 season with a 2-1 victory against play-off contenders Sheffield Wednesday. It was a widely unexpected result given the Owls’ league position, but Wolves dominated the first-half.

Some slick passing and dangerous attacking movement led to a Michael Turner own goal and another close-range finish from George Saville.

It is fair to say that Kenny Jackett’s men have underachieved this year, finishing 14th in the table, seven places worse than last term. Many experts predicted that, given the club’s impressive finish to last season, Wolves would be promotion contenders this time around.

Kenny Jackett’s Wolves finished 16 points adrift of the Championship’s play-offs this season – Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

That has not been the case; injuries throughout the season and the departures of vital players soon took their toll.

However, there were still some high points. Kevin McDonald’s superb long-range equaliser against Preston North End in September stands as the club’s Goal of the Season, in my opinion.

Over the Christmas period, Jackett’s men embarked on a terrific four-game winning streak, which included an impressive victory against high-flying Brighton and Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium.

The run looked set to push the club towards a late push for the play-offs, in a similar fashion to last season, before injuries and the departure of striker Benik Afobe put an end to that.

With that in mind, I have decided upon my five favourite matches of the past season…

Fulham 0-3 Wolves – 29/09/2015

Wolves eased past lowly Fulham at Craven Cottage for their first win in five games in all competitions, not long after owner Steve Morgan had announced that he was looking to find a new buyer for the club, nearly a decade after taking over from Sir Jack Hayward.

Fulham’s Tom Cairney picked up a deserved red card after a two-footed tackle on Adam Le Fondre, leaving Kit Symons’ men on the back foot. ‘Alf’ found the net, before Liverpool loanee Sheyi Ojo scored at Andy Lonergan’s near post.

James Henry capped a fine evening for Wolves with a delicious free-kick late in the game, another one of my contenders for Goal of the Season.

Wolves 3-0 Huddersfield Town – 03/10/2015

Off the back of the superb result against Fulham, Wolves made it six goals in two games against the Terriers.

Midfielder McDonald scored three goals in all competitions for Wolves this term – Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

Arguably against the run of play, Kevin McDonald found the net with a controlled, curling effort from outside of the penalty area to give Wolves the lead at half time.

In the second-half, Le Fondre set up strike partner Afobe for his first goal in five games, before he doubled his tally and notched his second after latching onto a long through ball from McDonald.

The win pushed Wolves up to ninth in the table, only three points away from the play-off spots.

Birmingham City 0-2 Wolves – 31/10/2015

The bragging rights were in the Black Country this time! Mike Williamson marked his debut for Wolves with a superb man of the match display in front of the Sky Sports cameras, helping to end a disappointing three-match losing run for manager Jackett and his side.

‘Dangerous Dave’ Edwards capitalised on a defensive mix-up to score an early goal, before winger Ojo scored his second of the season late in the game after coming off the bench.

To this day, I still don’t know if it was meant to be a cross or a shot – but Grant Holt definitely tried to get on the end of it!

Wolves 2-1 Bristol City – 08/03/2016

Matt Doherty; for me, Wolves’ Player of the Season, scored a dramatic 94th minute winner on a cold, cold night at Molineux against Bristol City.

Full-back Doherty is Shoot blogger Ryan’s Wolves’ Player of the Season – Photo: Simon Stacpoole / Offside.

Nathan Byrne scored earlier on in the second-half to give Wolves the lead, before Adam Flint equalised. After what Bristol City head coach Lee Johnson described as ‘unsporting behaviour’, Wolves won a free-kick soon after they kicked the ball out for a throw deep in the Robins’ half after an injury to Luke Freeman, which led to Doherty’s winner.

This was Wolves’ second successive home win, and was the second time that the Irish full-back had scored a winning goal this season, after scoring a sublime long-range thunderbolt against Fulham.

Burnley 1-1 Wolves – 19/03/2016

Skipper Danny Batth scored a stoppage-time equaliser to deny the eventual champions Burnley a seventh successive league win.

Former Wolves favourite Sam Vokes looked to have stolen the points for the Clarets, until Batth got on the end of an inviting Byrne corner.

Wolves certainly did not deserve to lose to Sean Dyche’s side, and after Jack Price struck the post from 30 yards, whilst both Saville and Jed Wallace squandered good chances, the Old Gold looked good value for an impressive point against the champions. Good luck to Burnley for next season in the Premier League.

Any other suggestions? I’d love to hear them!