Millwall reveal size of Molineux task

Wolverhampton Wanderers 1 - Millwall

So now Glenn Hoddle knows what he has to do to achieve in six months what only one Wolverhampton Wanderers manager has accomplished in 15 years.

So now Glenn Hoddle knows what he has to do to achieve in six months what only one Wolverhampton Wanderers manager has accomplished in 15 years.

A miserably disjointed performance in the final game under Stuart Gray's caretaker control ended in defeat and division last night.

Hoddle was introduced to a subdued stadium before kick-off, then retreated to the stand to watch Millwall spoil his first Molineux day.

In front of their lowest crowd of the season, Wolves immediately exposed Saturday's 4-1 win over Reading as another of their never-ending false dawns.

If Hoddle plans to make Wolves strong from the back, he had to wait 10 minutes to start appreciating his difficulties.

He saw Scott Dobie escape the marking of the makeshift left-back Mark Kennedy and turn Barry Hayles' searching low left-wing cross in at the far post.

It was the ninth successive game in which Wolves had failed to keep a clean sheet. The fact that the goal came from a former West Bromwich Albion striker who had not previously scored in five Millwall appearances added an ironic twist.

When the fightback belatedly came, it was more via hustle and bustle than the style which Molineux regulars will soon hope to see.

Andy Marshall, who a year ago this week let in five as a Wolves loan signing at Arsenal, grabbed a deflection off Mark Phillips from Carl Cort's centre. Then he produced a sprawling save to deal with Keith Andrews' bouncing volley.

But the home side, chasing the victory that would lift them seven places to 10th, showed the classic signs of over eagerness to impress as Seyi Olofinjana twice and Kevin Cooper snatched at shots.

The boos accompanying the home side up the tunnel at half-time briefly returned when Andrews ballooned a free-kick yards over.

A loss of composure, though, in a Millwall side beaten in their previous three matches suddenly revitalised Wolves.

Ward handled in the area in the aftermath of a blocked free-kick by Cooper, whose subsequent 57th-minute penalty carried just enough power to squeeze under Marshall.

The keeper, Hayles and Danny Dichio were then booked in quick succession.

Dichio drove in Millwall's winner from Hayles' centre 17 minutes from time.

Wolverhampton Wanderers (4-4-2): Oakes; Clyde, Craddock, Lescott, Kennedy: Olofinjana, Andrews (Seol, 75), Cameron, Cooper (Miller, 90); Cort, Sturridge (Clarke, 69). Substitutes not used: Murray (gk), Naylor.

Millwall (4-3-3): Marshall; Elliott, Phillips, Ward, Livermore; Dunne, Sweeney, Morris; Dobie, Dichio (Serioux, 90), Hayles (Lawrence, 90). Substitutes not used: Stack (gk), Simpson, McAnnon.

Referee: T Kettle (Berkshire).