Kyel Reid has paid tribute to manager Mick McCarthy for having the faith in his squad to introduce players off the bench - loan stars who ultimately swung the game Wolves’ way against Derby at Pride Park on Monday.
The West Ham United winger - on loan at Molineux until the end of the season - was one of three substitutes drafted off the bench to help Wolves salvage a 2-1 defecit to come back 3-2 winners.
Reid played a part along with former West Ham team-mate Marlon Harewood in the last two Wolves goals and admitted the Villa striker, also on loan until the end of this campaign, had been influential. They, together with Wolves left-back Stephen Ward, all entered the fray in the second half to turn the team’s fortunes.
The win means Wolves mathematically need only to beat managerless QPR on Saturday at Molineux in front of their faithful home fans to ensure their promotion to the Barclays Premier League.
Reid also hailed the overall team perfomance against Nigel Clough’s valiant Derby side with striker Andy Keogh hitting his sixth and seventh goals of the season in old gold and black and winger Matt Jarvis also adding a goal to ensure Wolves scored maximum points on a day when all of the trailing pack proceeded to slip up.
Reid said: “It was a very important three points for us.
“I thought the boys started very well after a great result on Friday against Southampton, and we couldn’t have asked for a better start.
“Towards the end of the first half, the boys started losing it a bit as tiredness kicked in.
“But I knew at half time the gaffer would have to change it to get some fresh legs out there to give the boys who played on Friday (against Southampton) a rest.
“I thought when he made the changes with Marlon, myself and Stephen coming on, it helped us grind out a result.
“I was very pleased.”
Reid added: “We are almost there now. A win on Saturday should be enough. Then it will be time to party.”
