An 89th minute penalty save from Joe Young proved pivotal as Wolves overcame Manchester United to make it back-to-back wins in the U18 Premier League North.
The hosts started strongly and broke the deadlock just seven minutes in when a free-kick out wide was superbly swept into the far corner by Jed Abbey.
The pressure continued from the home side with Conor Carty, who scored twice in the opening day win over Stoke, the next to try his luck at Compton.
After the break Wolves continued in their pursuit of a second goal and came close when Chem Campbell fired narrowly over after an impressive break forward.
On the next occasion Wolves did find the target, through Carty’s looping header, they were denied by the fingertips of the United goalkeeper Ondrej Mastny.
But it was Wolves’ stopper Joe Young who would steal the show when he used his feet to deny Connor Stanley from 12 yards after the away side were awarded a penalty.
The momentum was well and truly with Wolves and the afternoon was rounded off in style when substitute Lee Harkin converted Luke Cundle’s cross in added time.
QUOTES
Goalkeeper Joe Young praised the team’s defensive unit, as the under-18s kept successive clean sheets at the start of their campaign.
“It’s like a close bond getting everyone over, being a team and working for each other.
“[Clean Sheets] definitely keep them going. Stay concentrated for all the game don’t switch off.”
Having made the vital penalty stop, young explained his thinking behind the save, after another big moment just minutes earlier.
“I think that one got me going to be fair, got me energised for it. Yeah just in case as backup so you have two ways going I left my leg out.”
COMING UP
The under-18s are back in action at the Sir Jack Hayward Training Ground sponsored by Fosun International as they face Liverpool in their third under-18 Premier League North fixture, with a 12 noon kick off next Saturday. August ends with an away trip to Sunderland for an 11am start on Wearside.
NEXT FIVE
24/08 Liverpool (H)
31/08 Sunderland (A)
14/09 Middlesbrough (A)
21/09 West Bromwich Albion (H)
05/10 Manchester City (A)
TEAMS
Wolves: Young, Abbey, Estrada, Marques, Richards, Bueno Lopes, Campbell, Parker, Carty (Bugarin 84), Cundle, Corbeanu (Harkin 80).
Unused subs: Pinnington, Joseph, Forrester.
Manchester United: Mastny, Lukasz, Devine, Hockenhall, Mengi, McCann, Stanley, Wellens (Forson 63), Hoogworth (Sotona 68), Helm, Elanga.
Unused subs: Neville, Mee, Fish.
Report by Thomas Smith
