Watford 1 Wolverhampton Wanderers 4

Mick McCarthy has been lamenting Wolverhampton Wanderers' lack of goals in recent weeks so even he was taken aback by the nature of his side's emphatic FA Cup victory at Vicarage Road.

Before last week's Championship victory at Scunthorpe United, Wolves had looked about as sharp in front of goal as a teaspoon and McCarthy had tried every permutation of striking partnership possible in a bid to redis-cover Wolves' goal threat.

He must have thought that the £1.5 million signing of Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, who scored and looked a threat alongside the impressive Andy Keogh last week, was the answer.

With the former Plymouth Argyle top scorer cup-tied, along with the other scorer at Glan-ford Park in new signing Dave Edwards, McCarthy must have joined the impressive numbers of Wolves fans who tackled the treacherous trip down the M1 in wondering just where the goals were going to come from. They needn't have worried.

While the additions will boost Wolves' goal-threat, the difference in the last two games has simply been the re-emergence of two young but exciting prospects who have battled back after injury setbacks.

The return to form of winger Matt Jarvis, and especially striker Keogh, has lifted Wolves from a side slipping towards mid-table obscurity to a club that can once again genuinely challenge for promotion to the Barclays Premier League.

McCarthy has taken some flak in recent weeks during Wolves' eight-game winless streak but, with the equally exciting young talent of Michael Kightly on his way back and the emergence of 23-year-old Stephen Elliott as a right midfielder, this is a Wolves side that is being built for the future.

The Molinuex faithful need to show McCarthy plenty of patience because there will be rewards if they do. It appeared the supporters at Vicarage Road have got the message even if, like McCarthy, they were more than surprised at the ease of which Wolves despatched a Watford side with automatic promotion aspirations.

"I was disappointed yesterday because I did something with Sky TV and I must have answered 20 questions but there was no mention of Watford," he said. "The FA Cup tie was deemed irrelevant by Sky, it was all stuff about the fans and me.

"The fans today were wonderful and they have been great to me since I came to the club. I like to think they can see we are building something.

"We have had a tough spell but the average age of the team is still young. The signings of Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and Dave Edwards, both of very tender years, suggest we are building for the future.

"That is the Matt Jarvis I knew I had signed," McCarthy said. "I remember him a few years ago coming on against us at Sunderland and absolutely murdering us down the left-hand side. He has had a difficult period with a hip injury, and he has had to work really hard to get back to his fitness and his sharpness.

"Keogh is back. He had to have a hernia operation and has had to work hard as well but he looks back to his sharpest now."

He certainly did when opened the scoring after only five minutes with a superb lob over Watford keeper Richard Lee after Jay Bothroyd had flicked on a long punt up field from Wayne Hennessey.

It was a Jarvis corner that should have resulted in a second goal on the half-hour but Darren Ward's header cannoned off the post.

Keogh and Jarvis, the twin tormentors of Watford, then combined to set up Elliott to score the second on the breakaway in the 58th minute and it was Jarvis who again orchestrated the third ten minutes later, teeing up Bothroyd for a simple finish.

John Joe O'Toole set the jitters going among the Wolves fans by pulling a goal back in the 70th minute but Keogh sealed the win with a superb shimmy and shot from the edge of the area in the last minute.

"It will be very different next week," a Watford supporter said to McCarthy as he walked to meet the press. He was referring to the visit of Wolves in the Championship this Saturday. "Yes, it could be five next week," McCarthy cheekily retorted.

Of course it won't but if Wolves' youngsters area again firing on all cylinders, Wolves can once again make Vicarage Road a happy hunting ground.

Scorers: Keogh (5) 0-1; Elliott (58) 0-2; Bothroyd (68) 0-3; O'Toole (70) 1-3; Keogh (90) 1-4)

WATFORD (4-4-2): Lee; Doyley; Demerit; Mackay (Mariappa, 76); Sadler; Kabba; Bangoura; O'Toole; Mcanuff; Priskin (Smith, 62); Ellington. Subs: Poom; Stewart; Mariappa; Rinaldi.

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS (4-4-2): Hennessey; Ward; Collins; Henry (Kightly, 90); Keogh; Both-royd (Gibson, 90); Edwards; Potter; Jarvis (Gray, 83); Elliott; Foley. Subs: Stack; Breen.

Referee: Keith Stroud (Hampshire).

Bookings: Wolves [2014] Henry, Bothroyd (both unsportsmanlike conduct).

Attendance: 12,719 Wolves man of the match: Andy Keogh scored twice and was the scourge of the Hornets.