Wolverhampton Wanderers will quickly put their terrible defeat at Norwich City behind them, Stephen Ward has vowed.

Wanderers were awful as they were hammered 5-2 at Carrow Road on Tuesday night but striker Ward, who has been filling in at left back, admitted they were all baffled at how they could play so poorly but said the squad would stick together and bounce back when they face Watford on Saturday

“We’re disappointed at the way we let ourselves down - we all did,” he said. “From one to 11, they were better than us all over the pitch - we just weren’t good enough on the night.

“We’re hoping it’s a one-off. As a team we know the performance wasn’t good enough - we’re not trying to make out that it was better than it was. We know that more than anyone. The important thing is we stick together - we’ll have highs and lows this season and this is a clear low.

“We will go to Watford together as a unit and it’s important we go there in a new frame of mind and be more resolute away from home because we badly need to get a result.”

Ward added that Wanderers must cut out the costly errors that have crept into their game in recent weeks if they are to regain top spot in the Championship from new leaders and local rivals Birmingham City.

“We got ourselves back into the game at 3-2, but we know ourselves that we’ve conceded too many goals in the last few games,” he added.

“It was the same again at Norwich and they carved us open. If you conceded a really good goal, you’re prepared to hold your hands and say it was a good goal, but that’s not happened and we know in the last few games, we’ve not been good enough.

“To lose three out of four isn’t good enough and we let the fans down because they travelled a long way to see us.

“We need to get back in training and get it right for Saturday because if we want to remain where we are then we’ve got to get that out of our game.

“We have to bounce back on Saturday because in this league, the top four will be to-ing and fro-ing all season. Birmingham went back on top last night but we could get a result on Saturday and they might lose. It will change around but it’s important we rid out game of these errors and get back to basics, and do things right.

“It makes Watford a massive game on Saturday before another big home match against Swansea City on the Tuesday night.”