CARDIFF CITY claimed their first league victory of the campaign courtesy of a striker who may leave before the transfer deadline and another who was expected to be his replacement.
Kenwyne Jones opened the scoring a minute before the interval. Sammy Ameobi, acquired from Newcastle, extended the lead on the hour after replacing Jones.
Wolves have now lost twice in a week and their manager, Kenny Jackett, will have been concerned by their lack of cutting edge. In the second half they failed to draw a single save out of David Marshall, Cardiff’s keeper.
Wolves were the more enterprising side at the start and should have taken lead inside three minutes when their Wales midfielder, Dave Edwards, squandered a fine chance after being picked out by Sheyi Ojo’s cross.
Moments later a mistake by Sean Morrison presented Benik Afobe with a clear sight of the Cardiff goal but the striker’s touch was heavy and Marshall claimed the ball.
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After a tepid opening, Cardiff tested Carl Ikeme, the Wolves goalkeeper stopping Joe Mason’s side-footed attempt in the 19th minute. That was the cue for a spell of pressure from the home side with Ethan Ebanks-Landell diverting Jones’s strike over the target before Mason saw his effort disallowed after Jones was ruled to have fouled Richard Stearman.
Wolves, though, wasted an opportunity five minutes before the interval. A lack of attention among the Cardiff players allowed Rajiv van La Parra to take a short corner with the unmarked Ebanks-Landell failing to convert.
The defender soon regretted that miss as Jones headed Cardiff in front four minutes later. Fabio floated a delightful ball into the penalty area where Jones was waiting and the forward outjumped both Stearman and Ebanks-Landell to guide the ball past Ikeme who would have saved it had he stayed on his line.
That proved to be the high point of Jones’s evening, the Trinidadian limping off in the 57th minute after picking up an injury. His replacement, Ameobi, made an almost instant impression, extending Cardiff’s lead on the hour. Kagisho Dikgacoi headed down Peter Whittingham’s corner and Ameobi drilled the ball beyond Ikeme, helped by a deflection off Kortney Hause.
With his side two goals down, Jackett provided Afobe with support, throwing on another forward, Nouha Dicko, and James Henry.
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Star man: Sammy Ameobi (Cardiff)
Cardiff City: Marshall 6, Peltier 6, Morrison 6, Connolly 6, Fabio 6 (Ecuele Manga 89 min 5), Pilkington 6, Dikgacoi 7, Whittingham 7, Ralls 6, Jones 7 (Ameobi 57 min 8), Mason 6
Wolverhampton Wanderers: Ikeme 5, Iorfa 6, Ebanks-Landell 6, Stearman 6, Hause 6, Van La Parra 5, Edwards 6, Coady 6, McDonald 6 (Henry 63 min 5), Ojo 6 (Dicko 62 min 5), Afobe 5