Brief highlights from the first leg of the First Division Play-off Semi-final between Wolves and Bolton Wanderers at Molineux on 14th May 1995.
Just one point and one place separated Wolves and Bolton at the end of the 1994-95 First Division season; both clubs had failed to register a victory in their final four matches and so a relatively poor points return extinguished their hopes of winning the title and therefore the only automatic promotion spot available for that season.
Graham Taylor's Wolves in particular suffered from a poor run of results that stretched back to early April; following a 1-0 win at Southend United on April Fools Day, just one win in their final nine matches meant that Wolves finished the season in fourth position some six points behind champions Middlesbrough.
Led primarily by Steve Bull and David Kelly, Wolves were a very potent force in attack but, as so often in their recent past, they were far less assured in defence. The contrast was highlighted by the fact that Wolves were top scorers in the First Division at the end of the season but conceded the most goals of any team in the top half of the table. Wolves, though, were blighted by injuries throughout the season to key players; Tony Daley missed all-but one game of the campaign with a horrific knee injury, Steve Froggatt was an absentee post-Christmas, Geoff Thomas managed only 13 league appearances and centre-half John De Wolf suffered a season-ending injury against Sunderland at Molineux in early March. Further injuries to his squad meant that Taylor was unable to field a consistently settled team and the extensive disruptions offered some explanation for the relatively disappointing ending to Wolves' season.
Wolves suffered further ill-fortune in their play-off semi-final against Bruce Rioch's Bolton. A thoroughly dominant first leg display at Molineux wasn't fully reflected in the final score. Forty five year-old Peter Shilton defied Wolves throughout with a number of fine saves and a mis-hit shot from Bolton midfielder Jason McAteer meant that Bolton escaped with a somewhat flattering and fortuitous 2-1 defeat.
To further the misfortune for Taylor's Wolves, in the second leg at Burnden Park, with the match in extra time after finishing all-square on aggregate, Bolton forward John McGinlay somehow escaped a red card after punching David Kelly of Wolves in the face. McGinlay took full advantage of the referee's leniency by scoring Bolton's decisive goal to send Rioch's team to Wembley for the play-off final and subsequent promotion at the expense of Reading.
Originally broadcast by Central TV with Alan Parry as commentator and John Sillett providing co-commentary and analysis.
28 сен 2024
