Sunday 22 February 2015 17:35, UK
Wolves manager Kenny Jackett hailed the power of striker Benik Afobe after Saturday's 5-0 Sky Bet Championship win over Rotherham at Molineux kick-started their promotion push.
Afobe opened the scoring in the 21st minute and grabbed his second in the 63rd minute as Jackett's side sealed only their second victory in six games.
The 22-year-old has now scored five goals in seven appearances following last month's #2million move from Arsenal - and 24 in total this season after a 19-goal haul on loan at MK Dons.
Jackett said: "Goals are great for forwards and they give you confidence. But I think Benik has got a good all-round side and that has helped us to link play. He has a lot of ability and we feel that we can play off him.
"Benik was on loan with me at Millwall before and I am pleased to now have him with me permanently because I think he has a good character as well that he can really develop. He is a grounded lad who will keep his feet on the floor as he improves.
"I think he is ready at 22 to step up and have a permanent home at what is a big club in Wolves."
Nouha Dicko now has 10 goals to his name after his 27th-minute strike, while Dave Edwards and Bakary Sako gave the final scoreline an emphatic look.
Jackett was delighted with the thumping win that kept Wolves in the promotion race.
"I felt that in the first 30 minutes we played as well as we have done for months," he added.
"We passed the ball well, controlled the game and the key goal in the Championship is the first one and we got it with a very well-taken finish from Benik Afobe.
"We followed that up with Dicko's goal, which made it a very good start, and as the home side you are looking for that.
"We were too loose after that and quite scruffy with our defending.
"That aside, after that period our play on the counter-attack we were very good and obviously we were able to finish and go further ahead.
"We went for it and we need to because we have to keep the pressure on what looks a very good top six or seven teams.
"If we get to the points total we want then we will keep the pressure on them. That is all we can do.
"A play-off place is realistic. If we can average two points a game between now and the end season we will be unlucky not to get in the top six.
"I am delighted to win 5-0. It should give everyone confidence."
The result sealed another miserable away day for the Rotherham, who have won just one of their last 15 games on the road in all competitions.
Manager Steve Evans acknowledged it was a bad afternoon for the visitors, but insisted no rash decisions would be made in the fall-out as his team battle for their Championship lives.
"Our defending wasn't good, our finishing wasn't good, so it is a bad day for us at the office," he said.
"We have to go away, look at it, reflect on it and try to put it right, as that has not been like us in recent weeks.
"We gave them too much time on the ball at different times today and I think all bar one they took every chance.
"I don't want to stand here and be foolish and say we made six or seven chances ourselves, but we have and the difference is that they have been clinical and we have missed quite simple chances.
"We will look at it on the screen and address certain things and move on from it and try to put a team and a system and a shape together and get ready for the next game against Watford on Tuesday."
