A HALLMARK of a great team is one who can play badly and still take something from a game, however it is the worrying trait of a club in trouble that plays well and comes away with absolutely nothing.

The record books will show that 90 minutes at Molineux was just as fruitless as previous road trips at Vicarage Road, the Amex Stadium or Elland Road.

There were aspects of the performance with which under-fire boss Dougie Freedman can be justifiably pleased but the chief worry for the Wanderers boss right now should be that his side cannot seem to help themselves, and by extension, himself.

If Joe Mason’s hat-trick hinted at green shoots of a revival last week against Rotherham, they were stamped flat as the Whites showed a familiar lack of ruthlessness in front of goal.

Owen Garvan missed from the penalty spot – sparking an inquest into why a player signed on loan only 10 days earlier had been charged with that particular duty – while others were equally guilty of wasting chances in open play.

That all magnified the only real defensive error, made in the 42nd minute, which gifted ex-Wigan Athletic striker Nouha Dicko the winning strike.

It was easy to sympathise with Freedman as he trod a well-worn walk of shame back towards the local media after the final whistle.

“I’m giving it everything I’ve got,” he shrugged, as if it were in doubt.

The question is now whether Freedman’s best is good enough.

Wanderers owner Eddie Davies and chairman Phil Gartside continue to keep their own counsel on the manager’s future, or the restrictive financial circumstances under which he is currently operating.

Freedman looks like a man who could use some clarity on that front because while he insists he is “still the man” to take the club forward, the exact destination and means of transportation are still a bit of a mystery to many of us.

If, as seems to be the case, the Scot will continue to lead the club through this period of austerity it may be a bitter pill to swallow for many of his critics but at least it would prevent some of the rather lukewarm protests that have started to emerge on the terraces.

While the bile spews readily on the social media sites, those dwindling numbers who are paying to watch the team are hardly presenting a united voice of any description.

Apathy could well prove to be the main problem at Wanderers, from top to bottom.

Certainly when compared to the fire and brimstone that used to rain down regularly at Gary Megson – less than five years ago, no less – the current mood of frustration has no particular target. Fans are unhappy and while Wanderers continue to struggle in the table, Freedman cannot complain that he is bearing the brunt. But the club should also understand that the vast majority of those disenchanted fans do not hold him solely responsible.

If Davies, Gartside and Co are to back Freedman to complete the job they brought him from Crystal Palace to perform, then the least they could do is try to take some of the pressure off.

The alternative is to remove the manager, as Fulham and Cardiff did last week, although that decision would not only mean a financial hit, and another period of rebuilding under even tighter circumstances, but also an admission that the appointment made nearly two years ago did not work.

All the manager can really do is hope his side start to supply some results soon to further his case.

At half time against Wolves, and with Dicko’s header separating the two sides, you would have anticipated the anti-Freedman sentiment to be a lot stronger.

Wanderers had started well, Jay Spearing fizzing a shot over after only 30 seconds, and played some good football on the break in the opening 15 minutes.

Craig Davies should have done better with another early chance from the edge of the box, teed up by Mason.

But as Wolves’ impressive possession football gave them a foothold in the game, the default position was to retreat to the edge of the area.

Centre halves Matt Mills and Dorian Dervite were particularly impressive in repelling a constant stream of crosses, which had been predicted by Freedman prior to the game.

Stopping them was causing a problem. Tim Ream continued as a makeshift right-back despite the return to fitness of Kevin McNaughton but was getting little protection from the overlapping runs of the excellent Scott Goldbourne.

Andy Lonergan made a couple of smart stops from Dicko, while another key player for the home side, Lee Evans, blasted a shot just wide from the edge of the area.

With all that pressure being invited, perhaps it was inevitable that something had to give.

Matt Doherty’s cross from a quick throw in looped off Dean Moxey, and as the defence watched and waited for the ball to drop down, Dicko leapt to send a deft header past Andy Lonergan.

After the restart, Mills made another good block on the line to prevent Goldbourne from doubling the lead with a downward header from James Henry’s cross, but that proved the end of Wolves as an attacking unit.

Jermaine Beckford replaced Craig Davies and almost instantly won a penalty after cleverly drawing a challenge from Danny Batth.

Davies has scored two out of two from the spot this season but with him out of the equation, it was a surprise to see Garvan position the ball.

Freedman has always left it to his players to decide who takes that particular responsibility but Garvan – who does have a decent record at Crystal Palace from the penalty spot – produced a poor effort on this occasion, even stabbing a follow-up shot straight at Wolves keeper Carl Ikeme.

Beckford continued his impressive start by picking out Liam Feeney moments later – the winger also finding Ikeme in his way as he raced in on goal.

But after being part of the solution, the Wanderers striker then became part of the problem, stabbing a weak shot at goal after great work from Chung-Yong Lee on the left.

Neil Danns was thrown on for Mason to try and cause Wolves a different problem late on but the home side held on to claim three points, and a win that propels them into third place in the Championship table.

The Whites are out of the relegation zone on goal difference; this 90 minutes proved just how much of a difference a goal can make.