WOLVES 1 ALBION 4

Solly March was one step ahead of his would-be markers as he took his goals tally to three in two games.

Then he found the head coach was one step ahead of him as he talked about Albion’s next targets in their step-by-step Premier League progress.

March’s double followed an exhilarating solo goal from Kaoru Mitoma and a crisply struck finish from Pervis Estupinan seconds into the restart, which was probably the key moment of the contest.

So all four goal by wingers. Okay, not quite – but not far off given the way Estupinan operates from left-back.

Head coach Roberto De Zerbi knows what he wants from March this season in terms of goals.

“He has set a target, but I’m not going to say,” the Hailsham wideman told reporters after the game.

He was reminded De Zerbi has already told us it’s 15.

“It is 15!” he replied.

“It’s still a long way to go but it’s been a good start – I couldn’t have asked for any more.”

“We were confident we could have a great start to the season.

“We’ve got great players and a great manager who sets us up the right way.

“For things to go well we’ve got to take our chances which we have been doing.

“We got to keep creating chances and getting in the right positions and then be clinical – that’s the key.”

Albion’s progress in the top-flight has not been as dramatic or short-lived as that of some teams who have followed them up from the Championship, such as Leeds, Sheffield United and, indeed, Wolves.

They have played a longer game and the approach has taken them to undreamt of heights.

It feels a long time since they went to the same venue to grind out a 0-0 draw in the fight against relegation and were lectured about their football being unattractive.

March said: “When we first came into the Premier League, we were parking the bus most of the time.

“Then Graham (Potter) came and we got better and kept the ball.

“Now we are adding even more to that, scoring goals and creating chances so it seems to be getting better and better as time goes on.

“The gaffer has got more ideas and we’re trying new things.

“Hopefully we will get more goals and more wins this season.”

Albion were ruthless on rapid breaks from deep but March is confident they are also learning how to pierce more compact defences.

He said: “It makes it harder when they sit back and want to counter on you because we don’t have that space to play in.

“But there are different ways to break down teams and get through the teams who do sit back. We’ve got plenty of ideas.

“Ideally we want teams to come and press us because it makes it easier for us.

“But we’re either/or – we just want to see how we win the game.”

De Zerbi revealed going into the game that Albion have changed tactically and are now building up with an awareness of how they can be hit on counters if the moves break down.

Adam Webster’s return was a reason why they played from deep in a manner more reminiscent of last season than had been the case against Luton a week earlier.

Billy Gilmour is his own man, his own player, but he gave as Caicedoesque a performance deep in midfield as you could expect from any of the current squad.

Both teams had talent on view but Albion looked the more coherent and were propelled by the afternoon’s outstanding piece of individual brilliance.

Mitoma went away from Nelson Semedo, past two more defenders who never really got close to him and resisted Max Kilman’s effort to pull him back before guiding his shot across Jose Sa’s dive.

Home manager Gary O’Neil reflected afterwards that his side should have been 2-1 up at the break.

Jason Steele denied the clean-through Fabio Silva and Rayan Ait-Nourit shot off target, although Albion also had some good attacking moments.

They have let single goal leads, when dominant, slip away before so the second goal was key.

Estupinan drilled it home in assured manner after Sa parried from Danny Welbeck and Mitoma picked up the rebound.

Enciso had shown his growing maturity very early on with a smiling reaction when he was fouled by Pedro Neto.

There was something very astute about the way he set up March’s goals from either flank.

Wolves had their moments in attack.

Hee Chan Hwang did well as sub and his header bounced gently inside the post with Albion looking for an offside in the goalmouth.

But it was a frustrating afternoon for the hosts, encapsulated in the way Matheus Nunes picked up two needless yellows, for throwing the ball away and then shoving Webster and Estupinan in an injury-time melee.

Wolves: Sa; Semedo, Dawson (Toti 71), Kilman, Ait-Nouri (Bueno 86); Neto, Lemina, Gomes (Sarabia 55), Nunes; Cunha, Silva (Hwang Hee Chan 55). Subs: Bentley, Doherty, Traore, Kalajdzic, Hodge.

Yellow card: Dawson 17 (foul), Nunes 76 (throwing ball away), Hwang 63 (foul), Kilman 88 (foul).

Red card: Nunes 90+5 (ungentlemanly conduct, second yellow).

Goal: Hwang 61.

Albion: Steele; Milner (Veltman 57), Webster, Dunk, Estupinan; Gross (Dahoud 81), Gilmour; March, Enciso (Ferguson 67), Mitoma (Lallana 81); Welbeck (Joao Pedro 57). Subs: Verbruggen, Igor, Adingra, van Hecke.

Yellow card: Gross 8 (delaying throw-in), Milner 18 (foul), Enciso 19 (delaying free-kick), Estupinan 60 (foul), Joao Pedro 64 (dissent).

Goals: Mitoma 15, Estupinan 46, March 51, 55.

Referee: Andy Madley.

Minimum stoppage time indicated: 2+9.