If you’re anything like me, the new year will have you contemplating the last 12 months and what lies ahead from a personal, professional and societal perspective.
Naturally, such philosophising extends to the beautiful game and yesterday’s rip roaring, top of the table clash will no doubt have left many dreaming of a bright future for Wolves.
Rightly so, given the quality of opposition and context of our turnaround victory.
Just as the stars align in order to usher in a new year, so it seemed they were conspiring against Nuno and his charges in the early throes of this contest.
After an enthusiastic Robins side drew two excellent saves from John Ruddy in the early throes of this contest, things went from bad to worse as Danny Batth was given his marching orders by referee Peter Bankes.
My view, though partisan, was that the skipper played the ball and that any card shown should have been yellow.
That being said, the benefit of hindsight and an innate desire to play devil’s advocate would lead me to suggest that, in the context of this oh so modern game, a red may have been warranted due to the fact that it was actually Batth’s kamikaze first touch that led to him needing to make a challenge in the first place.
Either way, it was a game changing moment that left the home crowd and their effortlessly grating manager baying for blood.
Nuno’s dismissal to the stands was another bitter pill to swallow and left the impression that Bankes, like Stephen Martin before him, wanted to make himself newsworthy in front of the Sky cameras and an enemy of all those in old gold and black.
Despite these travails, City were repressed by an excellent defensive showing and the game remained locked at the interval.
That soon changed when Bobby Reid benefitted from a wild deflection that left Ruddy helpless and the home side in the ascendancy.
It all felt eerily reminiscent to our defeat to Sheffield United and Helder Costa’s errant display up front (surely his worst in a Wolves shirt) meant seldom were forecasting a fightback.
Thankfully, there was another chapter of this story to be told and the introduction of Ivan Cavaleiro saw us build momentum and eventually find a route back into the game.
Frank Fielding’s terrible impersonation of Manuel Neur saw him receive his marching orders and levelled the playing field, with Barry Douglas’ subsequent free kick deflecting past City’s substitute goalkeeper and leaving the scores tied ahead of a frenetic final act.
With chances scuppered by both sides on account of tired legs all round, it appeared the game was only going to be won by the team with the bigger appetite for victory.
Thankfully, this side are a ravenous bunch and another sumptuous set piece from Douglas allowed Ryan Bennet to head home the most delirious of winning goals.
Cue pandemonium on the pitch, in the stands and, in the case of me and my family, the living room of a quaint holiday cottage in Padstow.
It was truly a moment to saviour in this most cherished of seasons, with Nuno’s wild celebrations in the Ashton Gate executive area set to be a crowning moment in our recent history and a hugely popular GIF amongst Wolves fans.
What can be achieved by the club in the next 12 months, given our meteoric rise over the 2017/18 season to date, is anyone’s guess but, as is so often the case with our club, it’s safe to assume it won’t make for dull viewing.
A belated merry Christmas to you all, and a Happy New Year.