Raul Jimenez says Wolves “have to dream” after they ended a 16-year wait to the reach the FA Cup quarter-finals.
Wolves secured a last-eight place after Ivan Cavaleiro’s first half goal edged them past Championship play-off challengers Bristol City at Ashton Gate.
It is the first time since 2003 that Wolves have progressed to round six, bowing out on that occasion following a 2-0 defeat against Southampton.
Wolves fans, though, are thinking of the quarter-finals and beyond, and possibly even a first FA Cup final appearance since they lifted the trophy by beating Blackburn 59 years ago.
“We know that it is difficult, but we have to dream,” Wolves’ Mexican striker Jimenez told Wolves TV.
“It is difficult, but if we keep doing the same things we are doing now, we can make it.
“It’s very good for us because this is what we wanted in the beginning. We are now in the next round, so we are very happy, too, and I am proud of all my team-mates.”
Wolves had to withstand a strong second-half display by City, but they preserved a 28th-minute lead thanks to a combination of resolute defending, John Ruddy’s fine goalkeeping and some poor City finishing.
And Wolves’ win also ended the Robin’s 15-match unbeaten run that stretched back to November and included nine successive victories.
“They have had a good run of wins, so that made them difficult,” Jimenez added.
“But we knew how to create a danger for them, and now with this win we are very happy and in the next round.
“The first half was very good, the second half they caused us a little bit more of a problem, but we knew how to maintain our clean sheet.”
For City, whose latest red-letter cup day following last season’s memorable Carabao Cup exploits attracted a crowd of just under 25,000, it proved a frustrating afternoon.
City manager Lee Johnson said: “It’s disappointing and it’s hurting that we are out the cup because we felt we had a chance.
“But you have got to learn from defeats, and we take the positives, but understand where we were a little bit short at that level. That was reasonably obvious for everyone to see.
“You can see their strength and their strength in depth with the money they’ve spent and spent well. They’ve got a lot of internationals on that pitch and players that have played at an extremely high level.
“All our players have got to improve because that’s the standard we are trying to reach and we haven’t got huge resources for the division, so the coaching element and the students have to be there. If it isn’t, we can’t compete.
“I asked them to go home and ask themselves and assess themselves as to what they have to do to be a consistent performer at that level.”
