IT was a tale of two halves at Molineux but Wolves made theirs count.

Nouha Dicko’s header proved to be the winner on the day but Wanderers’ second-half wastefulness undid any chance they had of building on their midweek win over Rotherham.

Owen Garvan missed a penalty while a handful of other clear-cut chances fell by the wayside.

Whites fans – many of whom called for the removal of Dougie Freedman as manager – will wonder why the urgency and energy showed in that second half was not there in the first, when the Black Country men were by far the better side.

Wanderers remain just outside the bottom three on goal difference but any breathing room that Dougie Freedman bought himself a few days ago at the Macron Stadium is bound to have disappeared by the time they return to host Derby County in a week’s time.

Freedman made three changes from the side that picked up their first win of the season on Tuesday night, bringing Chung-Yong Lee, Owen Garvan and Liam Feeney back into the side at the expense of Darren Pratley, Mark Davies and Neil Danns.

There was no place for new signing Max Clayton, although Paddy Kenny was named on the bench, and no start for the fit-again Kevin McNaughton, with Tim Ream continuing his stint as an emergency right-back.

Freedman will have been pleased with the way his side started, Jay Spearing fizzing a shot just wide after only 30 seconds.

But Wolves soon settled into their passing game and it became clear that the Whites were content to absorb what was being thrown at them.

For all their possession, it took 17 minutes for the first real chance to materialise, with James Henry swinging in a corner headed goalwards by Danny Batth and pushed away athletically by Andy Lonergan.

Almost immediately Wanderers created an even better opportunity at the other end as Garvan and Joe Mason combined to set up Craig Davies 12 yards out but his side-footed effort was aimed straight at keeper Carl Ikeme.

As Freedman had predicted, Wolves used their wide men to maximum advantage – peppering the Wanderers box with crosses.

And to the Whites’ credit, the defence was holding firm impressively up to the half hour mark when the constant barrage of crosses started to take its toll.

Lee Evans smashed a shot just wide of the post and Nouha Dicko twice found Andy Lonergan in his way as he got on the end of crosses from Scott Goldbourne and Bakary Sako.

Just when it appeared the Whites had weathered the worst, Wolves managed to edge ahead.

Matt Doherty’s deflected cross should have been claimed by Lonergan as it spun in the air – but after it dropped, Dicko managed to get enough on the ball to guide it into a half-empty net.

Wolves continued to push forward after the break and might have got a second had Matt Mills not got in the way of Doherty’s far-post header.

Freedman brought on Jermaine Beckford for Craig Davies and his impact was instant – winning a penalty from Danny Batth after beating the Wolves defender with a drop of the shoulder on the edge of the box.

Owen Garvan was a surprising choice to step up and take the spot kick – and the decision did not look a wise one as Carl Ikeme guessed right and blocked his first effort before also stifling a follow-up.

Wanderers’ response to the missed penalty was a good one.

Mason had a cross-shot tipped on to the crossbar by Ikeme and Mills headed narrowly wide – his cross supplied by ex-Wolves man Mark Davies, who replaced Garvan.

They had been the better side for most of the second half but a break in play for an injury to Mills prompted a section of away fans to chant “Freedman Out” – something that continued sporadically until after the final whistle.

Wanderers’ domination of the latter stages continued regardless.

Ikeme remained in top form – making one superb save from Feeney after he had been picked out by Beckford.

The substitute looked sharp after his arrival but missed a good chance to equalise when Chung-Yong Lee found him unmarked 10 yards out, his shot aimed straight at the grateful Wolves keeper.

Wanderers huffed and puffed but Spearing’s blast over the bar was as close as they came to levelling the scores in four minutes of added time.