DREADFUL? ‘No, it wasn’t as good as that’ – but Mick McCarthy is in no doubt the ‘damp squib’ served up by Wolves and Birmingham City 11 days ago won’t be repeated at Molineux tonight.

In fact, you’d better prepare for a barnstormer!

“It was awful,” said McCarthy in typical forthright manner.

“I guess everyone is hoping for a better one. Why the hell it is on TV I don’t know, after the first game. I didn’t think they’d go anywhere near it.

“I guess it is lightning can’t strike twice, can it? Let’s hope not. I said at the time there were mitigating circumstances. Chris (Hughton) had got 4-5-1 playing and being hard to beat. They’ve had a lot of games as well.

“They maybe tried to catch us on the break. We played 4-4-2 against that. There were no chances in it. The pitch wasn’t great on the day but the two teams were average, and not a lot of chances.

“The Cup does matter to me and yet I’ve got injuries and there’ll be a much-changed team, but it will be a strong team. So I have got that dreadful combination of Doyle and Ebanks-Blake up front. What a travesty that is to have!

“A lot of teams would be thrilled to have Doyle and Ebanks-Blake up front.”

McCarthy has promised a belter of a replay. “Those who watched the first one probably won’t come back, will they? So that’s 14,000 not coming already! But let me tell you, the difference is it will be a barnstorming, rip-roaring Cup tie. It will be.