Blake has the answer to help Wolves overcome jinx
Grimsby Town 0 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1
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Your support makes all the difference.There will doubtless be nervous days ahead for the team that famously threw away an 11-point lead in the First Division last season, but for the moment Wolves can breathe a little more easily in their quest to cling on to a play-off place. Nathan Blake's first-half goal proved just enough to subdue their relegation–threatened hosts in a game they had particular reason to be concerned about.
Indeed, Wolves could be forgiven for developing a complex about playing Grimsby at this time of year. The wrong result at Blundell Park had twice put paid to promotion challenges in recent seasons and it was a home defeat to the Mariners that proved to be the catalyst for last year's dramatic collapse.
The jitters appeared ready to break out again in last Saturday's goalless draw with Rotherham, but this time the early score needed to calm nerves arrived after 13 minutes and ultimately was sufficient to claim three points, putting clear daylight between themselves and seventh place.
The Welsh international Blake made the strike that mattered, making at least partial amends for his 15th-minute dismissal against Rotherham, which will cost Wolves his services for three matches unless there is a successful appeal.
Grimsby, who fought bravely enough perhaps to have been worth a point, had almost dealt David Jones's team an early shock when the goalkeeper Matt Murray momentarily lost control of a Denis Irwin back pass with Stuart Campbell ready to pounce. But Wolves were primed to hit hard on the break and when Kenny Miller released Blake with the home defence caught square, the striker had too much pace for full-back Tony Gallimore and beat Danny Coyne with a low diagonal drive from the edge of the penalty area.
It was a lead that might have been increased before half time. Miller, fed by Blake, side-footed wide at the near post, Paul Ince thumped a header the wrong side of the same upright and George Ndah saw a header smothered by the busy Coyne, who kept Grimsby in the contest with three minutes into the second half with a superb save when Blake was clean through.
"We should have killed them off with the chances we had," Jones said, acknowledging that Grimsby might have taken a point had Darren Mansaram's finishing been more accurate in the second half. But Nathan has repaid us for what happened on Saturday and it is a great three points for us."
Grimsby Town (4-4-2): Coyne; McDermott, Ford, Santos, Gallimore; Bolder (Boulding, 62), Groves, Hughes, Keane (Livingstone, 83); Campbell, Mansaram. Substitutes not used: Cooke, Chettle, Allaway (gk).
Wolverhampton Wanderers (4-4-2): Murray; Irwin, Butler, Lescott, Naylor; Ndah (Cooper, 64), Cameron, Ince, Kennedy; Blake, Miller (Sturridge, 82). Substitutes not used: Oakes (gk), Rae, Edworthy.
Referee: E Wolstenholme (Blackburn).
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