T WO goals from Graham Kavanagh, plus a sublime strike by Richard Forsyth, earned manager Chic Bates a temporary reprieve as Stoke produced one of their best displays of the campaign to put Wolves to the sword.

That outcome didn't look likely as Mark McGhee's side started brightly and Steve Bull crashed a 25-yard shot against Carl Muggleton's crossbar with the City goalkeeper well beaten.

But Kavanagh struck just seconds later, in the eighth minute, as he fired a terrific half-volley beyond Mike Stowell after Peter Thorne and Kevin Keen combined to set up the chance.

Wolves, who had won four of their previous five games, were creaking at the back and Kavanagh sent Stowell the wrong way with a 23rd-minute penalty after referee Eddie Wolstenholme had spotted a handball offence.

Stoke had to repel a revival from the visitors as half-time approached and Kevin Muscat should have reduced the deficit when he shot wide from five yards.

Muggleton also produced a brilliant save to deny Dougie Freedman at the start of the second period and there were further chances at both ends before Forsyth effectively ended the contest with the goal of the game in the 59th minute.

Wolves were in no rush to close down the midfielder when he collected the ball 30 yards from goal, and Forsyth made them pay when he arrowed a magnificent shot into the top corner of Stowell's net.

Stoke, with Keen in fine form against his former club, could then have added further goals against a haphazard visiting defence as Stowell saved well from Paul Stewart and Thorne.

Unfortunately for Bates, Stoke failed to win any of their next 10 league games, culminating in a calamitous 7-0 home defeat by Birmingham, and he was eventually sacked and replaced by Chris Kamara.

Matters got even worse under Kamara, with the Potters winning just one of his 14 games and 76 days at the helm, and the late appointment of Alan Durban could not save them from the drop.

The Supporter

The match sticks in the memory of Dave Breese, of Beattie Avenue, Hempstalls, who was commentating on his first Stoke match for North Staffordshire Hospital Radio.

Dave, aged 47, who works as a gold disc maker, said: "I always look forward to games against Wolves and hope they will be on the end of a damn good thrashing.

"I have disliked them since I had my woolly hat pinched off my head when my dad took me to Molineux for my first away match when I was 10-years-old.

"This game was memorable for a win which gave me great pleasure and also because I made my debut behind a microphone to help with the commentary for hospital radio.

"It was the first time I had not enjoyed the game from the comfort of my normal seat in the stands and I was quite nervous about how it would go.

"As a regular music presenter for hospital radio, I had sat in on the Sunday sports show and talked about the previous day's Stoke match, including reading out my own match report. But covering a live sporting event was a whole new experience for me and I had regular commentators Tom Pedley and Simon Keeling to steer me through.

"Thankfully, there weren't many foreign players around in those days and Larus Sigurdsson was the only difficult name I had to pronounce.

"I know Stoke didn't get off to the best of starts and Steve Bull almost broke the crossbar, but Graham Kavanagh scored a really good goal and that seemed to settle everyone down.

"It still wasn't plain sailing against a Wolves side which had some very good players, including a teenage Robbie Keane, and it was great to see Richard Forsyth score our third goal.

"It was a wonder strike by Forsyth and we could have scored a few more after that. It was a pity we didn't because I still haven't forgiven Wolves for my stolen woolly hat."

The Manager

Chic Bates says: "It was certainly one of our better days of the season and I remember we played well for most of the game. There were one or two early scares, but Graham Kavanagh struck the first goal and we didn't look back.

"Graham was a very intelligent player who could use the ball really well. He was also very competitive and had an eye for goal, which I've always liked in midfield players.

"Lou Macari had signed him from Middlesbrough and he proved to be a great acquisition. Kav's gone on to have an excellent career and is still playing at Carlisle at the age of 36.

"Richard Forsyth's goal was a stunner and I remember I played him on the left of midfield that day, which wasn't his best position. Richard preferred to play in the middle of the park, but he was a very enthusiastic player who would do you a job anywhere.

"Kevin Keen was the one who gave us the experience in midfield. He was another clever player who you could rely on, while Ray Wallace was the battler.

"Andy Griffin was really coming on at that time and he was sold to Newcastle for £1.5m just a couple of months after that game.

"There is always one youngster who stands out at every club and it was obvious Griff was going to be a top player. He had the ability and was also very dedicated, which is just as important.

"My best signing for Stoke turned out to be Peter Thorne, who I had kept an eye on while he was at Swindon. He cost £500,000 and scored a lot of goals for Stoke before moving to Cardiff for three times that amount."

Bates said his most enjoyable time in football came at Stoke, where he was number two to Macari for the best part of five years in two spells.

He said: "They were my best years in the game. The Stoke public loved Lou and we really felt at home. Peter Coates always looked after us and we were very happy there.

"I've been back to watch a couple of games since, but haven't seen them in the Premier League yet, which I intend to put right soon.

"I've popped into the Britannia in the daytime to see some of the staff, including Winnie, who still washes the kit, and I've got on well with Tony Pulis since we played together at Bristol Rovers.

"Tony is doing a fantastic job and I'm very pleased that the Stoke public have warmed to him."