Wolves 5 (McLeod 11, 64, Voice 24, Mané 34, Colesby 47) Blackburn 2 (Joseph 32, Farkas 45+3)
An emphatic home performance from Wolves saw them claim three points in a seven-goal thriller at Compton Park in their first game of the U18 Premier League season.
The Old Gold took the lead after just over 10 minutes played with a sensational set-piece from Conor McLeod, as he curled a free-kick which nestled into the top right-hand corner.
They looked to double their lead just a few minutes later as Wes Okoduwa darted down the right-hand side and launched a low-driven ball into the box, but there was no one there to meet it.
However, the Old Gold got their second in the 24th minute as another free-kick proved fruitful, with Makenzie Bradbury’s ball headed towards goal by skipper Caden Voice, with a Blackburn defender helping it into the back of his own net.
The visitors then reduced the deficit not long after, as Stephen Edmondson’s cross found Valentin Joseph who coolly slotted into the far bottom corner.
Wolves wasted no time in producing a response with a long ball reaching Mateus Mané, who controlled it before turning the defender and smashing it in the Blackburn goal from outside the area.
Rovers got another back just before half-time, after Joseph picked out Patrik Farkas who struck the ball into the back of the net.
Half-time | Wolves 3-2 Blackburn
The home side regained their two-goal advantage shortly after the second 45 begun, as just two minutes into the half Ryan Colesby struck from just inside the area, with the ball looping over the keeper and flying into the top right corner to put Wolves two ahead again.
Blackburn looked to respond quickly with Edmondson’s cross finding Joseph again, but the attacker headed it straight into the ground.
The Old Gold continued to perform as they did in the first 45 with McLeod doubling his tally for the afternoon after Mané cut it back to him, with the Wolves number 10 executing a thunderous finish which found the far corner and secured him a brace.
The affair turned scrappy in the final 20 minutes as the ball went from end-to-end, with Lennon Patterson causing trouble for the Rovers right-back down the left flank.
Rovers’ Isaac Dunn tried to emulate McLeod’s effort from the first half as he aimed his free-kick for the top-right corner, which forced Josh Gracey to make a super save to deny him.
Wolves produced a professional performance in the closing 10 minutes to slow the game down and ensure the three points stayed in Wolverhampton.
Full-time | Wolves 5-2 Blackburn
COMING UP
Wolves under-18s travel to face Aston Villa in their opening game of the U18 PL Cup group stage on Tuesday afternoon.
NEXT THREE
• 27/08 Aston Villa (A) PL Cup
• 31/08 Middlesbrough (A)
• 14/09 Derby County (H)
TEAMS
Wolves | Gracey, Okoduwa (Nyakudya 46), Voice, Osifo, White, Colesby (Marwa 70), Bradbury, Patterson, McLeod, Ballard-Matthews (Ji 70), Mané.
Subs not used | Hardy, Dayman.
Blackburn | Wolsoncroft, Mansbridge, Davies, Decandia, Leeming, Shorrocks, Willis (Dunn 53), Farkas (Vare 66), Edmondson, Joseph, Dlamini (Pates 86).
Subs not used | Boggon, Thompson.
Report by Morgan Turner-Green
