Wolves 1 Dandy Town 2

Dandy Town threw the kitchen sink at Wolves in the first half, romping into a two-goal lead on the back of their endeavours.

At times in the second they played as if they had that aforementioned sink strapped to their ankles as they desperately sought to cling to all three points.

That they did owed much to Dennis Brown's men. Firstly, in allowing Town to dominate them so easily in the opening 45 minutes and then in missing a late penalty that would have given them a share of the spoils.

Brown was in no doubt as to what led to his side's demise at BAA Field yesterday.

"In the first half we came out laid back, thinking about the Dudley Eve competition," he said in reference to last week's trophy-winning exploits. "One thing these guys have to realise is that the second half of this season is going to be tight. If we don't come prepared to fight then we are going to have to battle like this every week."

To be fair to Wolves, who were minus John Barry Nusum who is in Scotland having trials with Glasgow Rangers, they did improve markedly after Brown's half-time team talk.

"In the second half we picked it up and played a lot better - we just have to start like that next week," he said.

If the game had continued like it did in the first half BAA's groundsman would have only had to tend to the clubhouse half of the pitch this morning, so infrequent were Wolves incursions into opposition territory.

Barely two minutes had gone when the Hornets gave warning of their intentions, Janeiro Tucker rising at the far post to meet a Devarr Boyles corner. Outjumping all around him he headed the ball goalwards only to see it strike the top of the crossbar and go out for a goalkick.

Just 60 seconds later Seyoum Tuzo's curling right-footed shot had to be turned around the post by Michael Higgs in the Wolves goal and then the custodian did well to hold on to Lionel Furbert's flicked header at the second attempt.

Tucker was allowed to jump unchallenged at the back stick once again in the seventh minute but his direction was wayward.

But with all their pressure it was only a matter of time before Town took the lead and Tucker was to play an integral part in it.

Seeking to force his way into the box he went down under a clumsy defensive challenge 10 minutes in and referee Lyndon Raynor pointed to the spot. Man-of-the-match Devarr Boyles calmly stroked the ball home.

The goal breathed some life into Wolves and Chae Simmons should have done better than place the ball into the side netting after a run down the left. Shortly after it took an excellent diving header from Desmond Christopher to prevent a long range drive from breaching the goal-line.

But if Wolves thought they had weathered the storm they were wrong. In the 32nd minute a long ball from defence was lobbed over the advancing 'keeper and into the back of net by Boyles to provoke delirious scenes among the support.

They could have been 3-0 up before the break but Tucker was unfortunate after taking the ball on his chest to see his rifled effort hit the underside of the bar and bounce to safety.

In the second half Town appeared to run out of steam and six minutes after the restart Wolves pulled a goal back through Simmons.

The Hornets were being forced on the defensive and when Sharrieff fell to the turf inside the box with 14 minutes to go after a challenge by Devon Binns Wolves had a golden chance to grab a point.

Sharrieff picked himself up to take the resultant spot kick but as with their approach to the game it lacked conviction and direction and rolled harmlessly wide.

With added time being played Wolves appealed for a second penalty for handball but were denied and had several scrambles in the Town box.

Town captain Lionel Furbert said the victory was as much down to coach Andrew Bascome's tactics as anything. "The coach always pulls something out of the hat and that's what he pulled out this week," he said, adding he felt sure his side could retain the championship they won last year. "We have a few players back and we don't have too many injuries so we are looking to make a run in the second half."

Despite the loss Brown said he was confident his side had the ability to regroup and re-establish their own challenge.

"We have it within us. But like I told them before the game it is all about attitude. We have to go out there every day prepared to play. In the first 20 to 30 minutes of the first half we didn't come prepared to play," he said.

Wolves: M.Higgs, T.Davis, J.Simmons, K.Parfitt (S.Waldron, 72 mins), A.Thomas, M.Ray, T.Trott, V.Minors, C.Simmons (J.Peniston, 73 mins), N.Smith, K.Sharrieff (N.Webb, 83 mins).

Dandy Town: J.Smith, L.Furbert, M.Lowe, P.Douglas, D.Christopher, D.Boyles (P.Cann, 63 mins), B.O'Riordan, K.Hurdle (R.Tucker, 78 mins), D.Binns, J.Tucker (K.Smith, 83 mins), S.Tuzo.

Bookings: M.Ray, N.Smith (Wolves); S.Tuzo, K.Smith, J.Tucker (Town).

Men of the match: M.Higgs (Wolves); D.Boyles (Town).

Referee: L.Raynor.