FOOTBALL: Wayne is a wonder

THE summer recruitments of Paul Ince and Dennis Irwin show the value Wolves' boss Dave Jones places on experience as he tries to take his side into the Premiership.

Ironic, then, that Wolves were foiled yesterday by 17-year-old rookie Wayne Routledge, who enjoyed an astounding full debut by scoring his first goal for Palace and setting up two others.

Routledge put his side ahead after less than a minute, slamming in a shot after the Wolves defence failed to pick up Danny Granville's low delivery from the left.

Palace pair Tony Popovic and Darren Powell were caught out on the half hour as Ivar Ingimarsson slipped through from midfield and beat Alex Kolinko for an undeserved equaliser.

But the Wolves defence was caught napping after 36 minutes when Freedman timed his run well to head home a Danny Butterfield cross.

In the second half Routledge slipped through a ball into the box that led to Andy Johnson being brought down by Oakes, Freedman netting from the spot.

Once more Wolves crept into the game when a fierce Ince shot was spilled by Kolinko, allowing Nathan Blake to score. But in less than a minute, Routledge supplied a cross that Steve Thomson volleyed past the keeper.

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