Wolverhampton 2 Burnley 3: McCarthy looks to Morgan's millions for help

The pledge from chairman Steve Morgan to put up 30m to return Wolverhampton Wanderers to the Premier League persuaded Mick McCarthy to turn down South Korea's advances and stay at Molineux. However, two defeats in a week has left the former Republic of Ireland manager with an urgent need to find the right recruits if his promotion campaign is not to falter.

McCarthy's team has been undermined by injuries to key players but there was an altogether slicker look to Owen Coyle's Burnley, who are unbeaten in five matches for their new manager and take on Queen's Park Rangers tomorrow only a point behind sixth-placed Wolves with a game in hand.

Wolves improved on their dismal showing at Barnsley but their poor record in front of goal remains a worry, even though a second-half penalty gave them the rare experience of scoring twice in a match.

By that time Burnley were in control. Made a present of their first goal when Wayne Hennessey failed to hold Robbie Blake's free-kick, they responded to Darren Gibson's equaliser by twice cashing in on Wolves' deficiency at the back, Kyle Lafferty timing a blindside run perfectly to convert Wade Elliott's cross before Darren Ward deflected the ball into his own goal after granting Clarke Carlisle a free header.

McCarthy sent out confusing messages about how much he had to spend, on one hand suggesting that Lafferty for whom he bid unsuccessfully last summer was out of his range now that Fulham have offered 4m but then saying: "If there was a player we all thought would suit us I'm sure we could do it."

Coyle, meanwhile, is more concerned with not selling players than buying, in particular Lafferty and Chris McCann, two 20-year-olds of clear potential. "I'd like to keep them but if the club gets an unbelievable offer they would have to look at it," he said.

Goals: Blake (20) 0-1; Gibson (24) 1-1; Lafferty (30) 1-2; D Ward og (42) 1-3; Elliott pen (60) 2-3.

Wolverhampton Wanderers (4-4-2): Hennessey; Foley, D Ward, Collins, M Gray; Gibson (Eastwood 60), Henry, Olofinjana, S Ward (Jarvis 71); Bothroyd (Keogh 72), S Elliott. Substitutes not used: Edwards, Ikeme (gk).

Burnley (4-4-2): Kiraly; Alexander, Carlisle, Unsworth, Harley; W Elliott, Mahon (Gudjonsson 68), McCann, Lafferty; Blake (O'Connor 82), A Gray (Akinbiyi 88). Substitutes not used: Jensen (gk), Jones.

Referee: S Tanner (Somerset).

Booked: Wolves: Collins; Burnley: Carlisle.

Attendance: 20,763.

Man of the match: McCann.