Santos keeps Wolves in hunt
NUNO ESPIRITO SANTOS refused to get carried away as his Wolves side bounced back into the top two with a comprehensive victory over Burton Albion.
Wolves raced into a threegoal lead in the first half through goals from Diogo Jot a, Roma inSaiss and Ruben Vinagre with substitute Leo Bonatini adding a fourth just after the hour mark to condemn the hosts to a second successive home defeat inside five days.
‘It was a good game, a good result and a good performance,’ said Santos reflecting on the reaction of his side to t heir midweek defeat at Sheffield United with 10 men. ‘It means a lot coming back from a bad result and knowing that you cannot stay therein that moment of sadness, but to react and the boys did that today and I am very proud of them.’
The early goal from Jota after five minutes set Wolves on their way and Santos knew the importance of striking early to take control of the match.
‘ We controlled the game very well,’ he said. ‘ We must say that we have the momentum the first time we arrive in the box of Burton and we score. Everything changes from there and it is important to keep going and keep believing, keep increasing the result.’
Nigel Clough, in contrast, cut a very disappointed figure when he reacted to his side’s second 4-0 defeat of the week. Last season the Pirelli Stadium was something of a fortress in his side’s survival campaign, but this week has seen them look vulnerable on home soil. ‘It’s a pretty horrible week for us,’ he admitted.
‘ We had a good result at QPR last weekend and we were looking forward to this week’s matches.
‘ We are not giving ourselves a chance in games at the moment. Three goals down at half- time in both games and the game is over from that point.
‘Both of the first two goals were avoidable, in fact the first three were in the first half. With better defending we don’t concede them.’
Clough remained philosophical going into the international break.
‘It [the international break] has come at a brilliant time,’ he admitted. ‘I wish it was longer. They couldn’t extend it to a month could they?
‘We hope this is a watershed moment. Today just wasn’t good enough.’