Conor Carty’s first-half double secured a comfortable three points for Wolves under-18s in their U18 Premier League North season opener against Stoke City.
The Irish youngster struck after just 19 minutes to open the scoring for Steve Davis’ side, before adding his second of the match with eight minutes to go until the half-time whistle.
Wolves, who enjoyed more of the possession than their hosts, as well as being clinical in attack, put the game to bed in the second-half when defender Christian Marques – who was part of Nuno Espirito Santo’s first-team squad for the pre-season tour of China – netted within the first 10 minutes of the restart.
The positive start to the season puts Wolves in fourth place in the table, level on points and with the same goal difference as their next opponents Manchester United who they invite to Compton Park on Saturday.
QUOTES
Manager Steve Davis felt his team carried on the good form they’d shown in pre-season to pick up a ‘convincing’ three points on their travels.
“It was a good result and a good performance from the lads. We carried on the good form we’d shown throughout pre-season, where we’d only lost the one game in five over in China against really strong opposition where we were giving away a couple of years in our players’ ages.
“It was a good test for us and we came through that well. We’ve been able to carry that on into the first game at Stoke with quite a convincing win. In the previous season we’d lost both games to Stoke – they are always very industrious and have some good players there.
“We approached the game as a test and came through it really well.”
COMING UP
The under-18s face two tough home fixtures as they play their first U18 Premier League North back in Wolverhampton on Saturday at 11.30am as they invite Manchester United to the Sir Jack Hayward Training Ground sponsored by Fosun International. Then a week later they will play Liverpool at Compton.
NEXT FIVE
17/8 Manchester United (H)
24/8 Liverpool (H)
31/8 Sunderland (A)
14/9 Middlesbrough (A)
21/9 West Bromwich Albion (H)
TEAMS
Wolves: Young, Scott, Joseph, Marques, Parker, Abbey, Cundle, Estrada, Hodnett, Carty (Forrester 70), Corbeanu (Sangare 90).
Unused subs: Pinnington, Harkin, Bugarin.
Stoke: Cooper, Nixon, Akandji, Macari, Melbourne (Sanali 62), Porter, Sparrow, Jarrett, Malone, Varian, Sankoh.
Unused subs: Robson, Ndene, Verma, McIntosh.
