Valiant Wolves win not enough to save them

Wolves 2 Everton 1

Carl Cort capped a stirring second-half cavalry charge by grabbing victory for Wolves over Everton to prolong the inevitable for one more week.

Cort’s 83rd-minute header will not be enough to save his side from Premiership relegation, because Manchester City’s win at home to Newcastle has left Wolves hanging on only to a mathematical miracle.

But Cort’s goal at least spared his boss Dave Jones being relegated by the club with whom he started his career.

That was more than Wolves deserved for a fantastic second-half comeback after Everton seemed set to administer the final blow.

Henri Camara’s stunning strike 10 minutes into the second half set up a grandstand finish which ended with Cort’s superb goal, leaving Everton themselves still not totally safe.

David Moyes’ men took less than two minutes to end a 257-minute goal drought and mark a dream Premiership debut for youngster Leon Osman.

Osman headed home James McFadden’s cross from the right to seemingly put his side on course for safety.

But after failing to make the most of their first-half chances, Moyes’ side were left well and truly on the back foot.

Everton ought to have made the game safe in the first 10 tumultuous minutes, with Wayne Rooney beating Isaac Okoronkwo and shooting wide and then Tomasz Radzinski firing a low shot straight at Paul Jones.

At the other end Camara’s shot beat Nigel Martyn but was hacked clear by Alessandro Pistone, and Mark Kennedy’s long-range effort flashed just over the bar.

But both sides soon settled into a ragged affair more in keeping with their lowly Premiership positions.

Another error from Paul Butler almost cost his side dear in the 27th minute when his back-header fell short.

Radzinski nipped in but could only poke a weak effort straight at Jones, and Butler got back to clear.

Camara came close for Wolves in the 29th minute when he was fed by Colin Cameron on the edge of the box and curled his shot inches wide of Martyn’s right-hand post.

Rooney missed a golden chance five minutes from the break when he was set up by Radzinski but blazed across the face of goal.

Wolves ended the first half with a chance for Cort, who lashed his shot straight at Martyn.

The fire seemed to go out of Wolves at the start of the second period, with Radzinski and Tony Hibbert both going close for the visitors.

But just as Wolves seemed resigned to their fate, Camara lashed home a stunning 25-yard effort out of nowhere.

Camara had numerous chances to grab his second, with Martyn performing heroics to keep him out.

Rooney was lucky to escape with just a yellow card 11 minutes from time when he kept his feet up in a challenge which left Jones writhing on the ground in agony.

Cort finally grabbed Wolves’ deserved winner seven minutes from time when he rose highest to head home Kennedy’s left-wing free-kick.

Paul Ince also came close to extending Wolves’ lead in the dying seconds – but by then shellshocked Everton looked resigned to their fate.

While Wolves can start planning for Division One, Moyes’ men still do not know which division they will be in next season.

Victory for Leeds at Bolton tomorrow would keep the pressure on the Toffees as they lurch towards the end of the season in some disarray.