Wolves bowed out of the Birmingham Senior Cup as Darren Ryan’s youthful side we beaten by Halesowen Town at the Grove.
Roland Agbor, Christos Shelis and James Roberts all netted to condemn Wolves to defeat and the woodwork even denied the youngsters a consolation in the closing stages.
After surviving a couple of close calls defending their own box, Wolves should have taken the initiative on 14 minutes but Kevin Berkoe’s brilliant cross was turned over the bar from close range by Austin Samuels.
Competing against men, Wolves’ youngsters knew they were in for a tussle at the Grove and Roberts clipped the crossbar soon after. The striker was at it again later in the half, with his near post-strike cannoning against Jamie Pardington’s post before Jordan Goddard cleared the crossbar with the rebound.
However, a minute before the break they did get their lead, as Agbor cut inside onto his right foot and rifled an effort into the roof of the net to put his side in front at the break.
After the interval Halesowen threatened to stretch their advantage but the woodwork saved Wolves for a third time. Again, it was Roberts the man denied as he curled a brilliant effort against the top of Pardington’s post.
So, it was little surprise when Halesowen doubled their lead. Shelis started the move and met Agbor’s cross with a fine touch to move past his defender and a deadly finish past Pardington for 2-0.
The result was put to bed with 15 minutes remaining as Samuel Tonks squared for Roberts, who finally got his goal, guiding the ball smartly into the bottom corner.
With time running out supporters knew it wasn’t Wolves’ night as Ray O’Sullivan’s cross was sliced against his own crossbar by Bradley Lewis. With that went Wolves' last chance as they were eliminated from the Birmingham Senior Cup.
QUOTES
“It was a good learning experience for the players. We had a really young team and it’s good to come here and play teams like Halesowen. At times we did some really good bits but at times they had to realise they were playing against more physical and powerful players where their decision making needs to be a bit better.”
COMING UP
Darren Ryan’s under-18s are back in action this Saturday when they play host to Middlesbrough in the Premier League North at Compton. They’ll be looking to bounce back from last weekend’s narrow Premier League Cup defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.
NEXT FIVE
06/10 Middlesbrough (H)
20/10 Liverpool (H)
27/10 Manchester City (A)
03/11 Manchester United (A)
24/11 Blackburn Rovers (H)
TEAMS
Halesowen: Gregory, Shelis, Kelly, Rea (Lawton 75), Morris, Lewis, Agbor (Gilpin 72), Bragoli ©, Roberts, Goddard, Tonks.
Unused subs: Hughes, Charlton.
Wolves: Pardington, O’Sullivan, Berkoe, Crabtree, Richards, Parker, Thompson (He 73), Taylor (Carty 61), Samuels, Perry (Campbell 76), Cundle.
Unused subs: Townsend, Joseph.
