The opening 15 minutes saw both sides largely battling out it out in the middle of the pitch, but the first chance fell to the visitors when Jack Patterson showed great awareness to spray a quick free-kick to Isaac Heath. He then drove down the line and cut back to Martin Sherif, but the striker failed to cleanly connect with the cross and the chance was squandered.
Wolves responded well to the visitors’ early threatening attacks with Owen Farmer and Leon Chiwome combining well to cause the Everton defence issues, and Chiwome looked to make it three goals in his opening three fixtures, rising well to meet a deflected Farmer cross, only to direct his header wide.
Everton came close again ten minutes before half-time when a stuttering Toffees move was smartly recycled by the advancing left-back Harry Wright, whose reversed pass cleverly found Halid Djankpata with time and space, and his shot was struck with venom but didn’t test Stan Amos in the Wolves goal, as it sailed over the crossbar.
Djankpata was at the heart of Everton’s attacking threat once again soon after, driving forward from deep, displaying his power and skill to turn Fraser Harper and win the foul in a dangerous central position. The resulting free-kick was on target but saved and held comfortably by Amos.
Moments before half-time the deadlock was broken in spectacular fashion, with a goal well worth the 43-minute wait. Marvin Kaleta received the ball on edge of his own box and began charging the length of the pitch. Once in the Everton box, he found himself one-on-one with Seb Jensen where he showed the great composure for a right-back, slotting coolly home to complete his astonishing goal.
The celebrations were very nearly nullified by the visitors when a deep cross from Roman Dixon looked to be a simple catch for Amos, but off-balance, he could only tip it behind him where Heath waited, but the Wolves stopper amended his mistake but gathering at the second time of asking, much to his relief.
Half-time | Wolves 1-0 Everton
The travelling Toffees worked the first opening of the second period well, with winger Jacob Beanmont-Clark afforded space to bring his side up the pitch, before laying it off to his left into the path of Djankpata whose low reversed shot towards the near post was met by a diving Amos who tipped it behind for a corner which came to nothing.
Ten minutes into the second period, the hosts came close to doubling their lead when a seemingly harmless free-kick, swung in from distance by Esen caught Jenson in the Everton goal completely off-guard, slipping through his gloves, and only steered clear of danger by Sherif on the goal line.
With ten minutes remaining, the visitors in blue grew frustrated as they dominated possession but continued to find themselves failing to break through a resolute Wolves defence, who managed the second-half professionally and to perfection, stifling attacks and buying time with fouls won up the pitch.
Full-time | Wolves 1-0 Everton
REACTION
Speaking after the match, assistant coach James McPike was fair in his assessment of the team’s performance, acknowledging the hard-fought nature of the contest, whilst crediting that they were good value for the three points which makes it seven from the opening three games.
McPike reflected: “I thought the first-half it was quite an even game. I think we maybe just edged it in terms of performance never mind the score line, but I think you’re right, it was a bit of a gritty game, but I think we had a bit more than them today.”
On the key to maintaining the unbeaten run
“I think just consistency. Consistency in how we work, the intensity we work at, the togetherness that the boys show. I think ultimately just consistent messages and you start to get a bit of an identity and a bit of a rhythm, which I think helps.”
On the solid defensive performance
“[The defensive unit] were very compact, they forced the ball into the wide areas well, they made some really good blocks at some important times so again they showed some really good togetherness.”
On Kaleta’s stunning solo strike
“He should have passed it! No, it was a great goal, great individual goal. I think Marvin is such a powerful kid, he has got that in his locker to just keep going and keep going and keep going but then he also has that bit of quality and calmness to realise where he is and slide it home, so a fantastic goal.”
On the planning for Derby next
“The same. We don’t change in how we work; we train at an intensity, we work hard, we stick to the principles of how we play, nothing changes.”
Next Five
- 1/10 Derby County (A)
- 8/10 Tottenham Hotspur (A)
- 15/10 Middlesbrough (H)
- 22/10 Manchester United (A)
- 29/10 Liverpool (H)
TEAMS
Wolves | Amos, Kaleta (Francis 83), Mabete, Ojinnaka, Voice (Carson 45), Igbinoghene, Esen, Harper, Chiwome, Farmer (McLeod 83), Reynolds (Edozie 76)
Unused subs | Carson, Shahar,
Everton | Jenson, Dixon, Wright (Tierney 83), Jones, Samuels-Smith, Pattersn, Beanmont-Clark, Apten, Sherif, Djankpata (Smikie-James 68), Heath (Coughlan 83’)
Unused subs | Pickford, Bates
By Ollie Spencer
