Wanderers 2, Wolves 1

DEAN Holdsworth and Gudni Bergsson were the wounded heroes as Wanderers got back on the winning trail against their age-old adversaries in an action packed Reebok encounter, writes BEN Chief Soccer Writer Gordon Sharrock.

The record signing (27 mins) and the skipper (68 mins) scored sensational goals but neither player went the distance, giving way to the strains of a tough battle.

Wanderers had to work hard for their first victory in four attempts with Wolves always looking dangerous and getting thesmelves back in the game when Tony Dinning converted a disputed penalty seven minutes after the break.

But a gutsy performance, in which Ian Marshall started and finished in the back four either side of a hard-working stint leading the attack.

ACTION POINTS

15 secs: Hansen races back, under pressure, to head Branch's dangerous cross behind for a corner.

8 mins: Nolan's header from Frandsen's deflected cross flashes just wide.

12 mins: Nolan again, this time glancing a header wide from O'Kane's cross.

17 mins: Sinton's cross spells danger but Holdsworth is on the line to clear Pollet's header with Wolves appealing for handball.

17 mins: Sinton's corner finds Pollet again; this time Jaaskelainen launches himself to tip the header over.

20 mins: Naylor skips past O'Kane but his shot hits the side netting.

GOAL!

27 mins: Holdsworth creates something out of nothing, collecting Farrelly's pass, turning Dinning and curling a sensational right-foot shot from the edge of the box out of Oakes' reach.

29 mins: Branch misses a chance to equalise, firing wide of an unguarded goal after Jaaskelainen had committed himself.

35 mins: Pollet leaves Hansen's cross, unaware that Holdsworth is racing in with a header which Oakes manages to keep out with a superb reflex save.

HALF-TIME: 1-0

51 mins: Frandsen is denied a penalty and instead is booked for 'diving' after going down under Osborn's challenge.

GOAL!

52 mins: Dinning from the penalty spot after Fish's tackle on Branch.

GOAL!

68 mins: Bergsson storms forward, feeds Marshall and continues his run to take a superb return-pass in is stride and knok the ball past Oakes.

72 mins: Jaaskelainen tips Osborn's 25-yarder round the post.

73 mins: O'Kane and Hansen break, Farrelly's shot brings a good save out of Oakes.

FULL-TIME: 2-1.

Wanderers (4-3-3): Jaaskelainen; O'Kane, Bergsson, Marshall, Charlton; Nolan, Frandsen, Farrelly; Rankin, Holdsworth, Hansen. Subs: Fish for Holdsworth 44 mins, Ricketts for Rankin 55 mins, Elliott for Bergsson 83 mins, Barness, Banks.

Wolves (4-4-2): Oakes; Bazeley, Pollet, Dinning, Naylor; Emblen, Osborn, Robinson, Sinton; Proudlock, Branch. Subs: Peacock for Emblen 75 mins, Lescott for Pollet 79 mins, Ketsbaia for Sinton 82 mins, Stowell, Camara.

Referee: Roy Pearson (Peterlee).

Attendance: 15,585.