Wolverhampton Wanderers 1 Plymouth Argyle 0

There are few more fervent supporters of the FA Cup than Glenn Hoddle, but even the Wolverhampton Wanderers manager struggled to find any 'magic' in this tie.

It was a dank and dour afternoon at Molineux, and it's difficult to find a more dank and dour opposition than Plymouth Argyle.

Pilgrims boss Tony Pulis may have crowed post-match about keeping within one goal of Wolves in the three hours of football thrown up by this cup tie and the league meeting between the two sides seven days earlier.

But if that's the sum total of Pulis's ambitions - and rest assured his team produced roughly ten minutes of attacking intent over the entire two games - then it is little wonder the FA Cup continues to struggle.

On this occasion Wolves could have done their bit.

The reduction in ticket prices was so minimal that the ground ended up not even half-full when a more generous cut could have at least put bodies in the empty seats and helped the atmosphere.

As it was the team were forced to generate their own focus and drive, at least until Leon Clarke celebrated his 26th minute goal with a 'shush' gesture which was a piece of PR worthy of the Liberal Democrats.

Clarke hasn't exactly been flushed with messages of support from the Molineux faithful during his recent poor form, but at the same time he's not been tarred and feathered either.

Yet despite his manager insisting he did nothing wrong with his mocking finger to the lips, Clarke's stock will certainly have fallen.

His goal should have been message enough, a clinical close range finish after a neat piece of control from Colin Cameron's low cross.

Up until the flurry of activity preceding it - a Paul Ince shot tipped over the bar and Gabor Gyepes header cleared off the line - Wolves had looked set for another turgid afternoon trying to break down the defensive-minded Pilgrims.

Turgid apart from the prodigious talent Mark Davies, who set the tone for a display to show he's truly arrived at this level by going close within just four minutes.

Davies snatched at that opening, set up perfectly by Clarke, but went on to produce an afternoon of power and poise that complemented perfectly the continuing inspiration of skipper Paul Ince, also back after injury.

By the time the 17-year-old went close again with a decent 68th minute shot, Wolves should have had the game wrapped up.

Clarke and Cameron both peppered Romain Larrieu's goal, and the lively Kenny Miller twice created his own openings without the shot to match, but as it was Wolves entered the last few minutes still only a goal to the good.

And that seemed to give Plymouth hope, with earlier Akos Buzsaky shots followed up by Paul Wotton whose injury time effort was clutched gratefully by Stefan Postma to seal Wolves' passage.

This was an afternoon when that FA Cup magic was elsewhere. But Hoddle, who now wants Chelsea, Manchester United or Arsenal in today's fourth round draw, was happy enough Wolves had made it through.

"It's always a good feeling to be in the next round of the FA Cup," reflected Hoddle.

"And there a few teams out there who would trade places with us now.

"It's particularly nice to get a home win, because it's frustrating how we haven't killed teams off on our own ground.

"There's certainly been nothing wrong with the football we've played over Christmas, some of it has been better than anyone else in our league.

"On this occasion our defensive side stood firm as well, and we have shown that we can win games 1-0 when we are able to keep a clean sheet." ..SUPL: