Wolves 2 (Costa 6, Wallace 13)
Cambridge United 1 (Elito 14)
Just as in the previous round against Crawley Town, Wolves were pushed all the way by a League Two side with Cambridge United refusing to yield despite conceding two early goals
There were six changes to the home line-up with Prince Oniangue and Helder Costa making their first starts for the club. New loan signing Cameron Borthwick-Jackson was named as a substitute.
Conor Coady captained the team and he played in the back four alongside George Saville, Kortney Hause and Dominic Iorfa.
Wolves kicked-off attacking the North Bank end but it was Andy Lonergan that was the first keeper in action as he claimed the ball in front of United striker Ben Williamson.
Oniangue was pulled back just outside the Cambridge box and after Jack Price’s free-kick had bounced off the defensive wall, Hause was high and wide with his follow up shot.
In the sixth minute Wolves moved into the lead. Jed Wallace broke away on the left and squared the ball for Costa to run and convert from six-yards.
It took a brilliant save from Lonergan to prevent an instant response from the visitors. Luke Berry got everything behind a shot from near the penalty spot and Lonergan somehow got down to block on the line.
Wolves went two up in the 13th minute and this time it was Costa who was the creator as he cut in from the right and crossed hard and low to repay Wallace who made no mistake from close quarters.
The cheers of the home fans had hardly subsided when United pulled one back. The home defence got into an awful tangle allowing Medy Elito to grab possession and drill an angled shot into the corner of the net.
Lonergan was called into action again in the 16th minute as he dived and held onto a low effort from Williamson.
There was a great chance for Wallace on 24 minutes when he raced through the Cambridge defence but keeper Will Norris was quickly off his line to block at close range.
And there was an opportunity for Berry but he planted his header wide after Piero Mingoia had lifted over a fine cross from the right.
James Henry saw his shot blocked and then Costa from the tightest of angles could only find the side netting as he looked to stretch Wolves advantage.
Joao Teixeira forced a fine save from Norris after taking a return pass from Henry and, just before the break, Cambridge won consecutive corners the second of which was hooked clear by Henry.
Half-Time: Wolves 2 Cambridge 1
Three minutes into the new half some great defensive work by Henry cleared a threatening attack and created the chance for Costa to break down the right. With a defender breathing down his neck, Costa ran into the box and shot literally inches wide of the far post.
Lonergan had to punch the ball from virtually off the head of Williamson as Cambridge threw everything forward in their quest for an equaliser.
In the 55th minute Costa sprinted into the United area only to be hauled down by Blair Adams who was yellow carded. It was an obvious penalty but for the second home game in succession a spot kick was saved with Norris diving to his left to push away Henry’s kick.
Matt Doherty replaced Teixeira in the 57th minute shortly before Mingoia blazed the ball high over the bar from a good position after a deep cross had landed at his feet.
After Dave Edwards had been sent on for Oniangue, Hause headed wide from a Price corner. Then Norris let a long range Wallace effort spin from his hands but fortunately for the keeper the ball went wide of the goal.
Jon Dadi Bodvarsson became Wolves’ final change when he took the place of Costa. And he was soon in the thick of things controlling a long ball out of defence and completely bamboozling his marker before sending over a cross that was begging for a head to nod it over the line.
In the 84th minute Leon Legge was just off target with a header following a corner before Henry’s precision through ball found Wallace who was again denied by Norris. The ball bounced out to Henry and his shot looked to be on target until it took a deflection off a defender.
Deep into stoppage time Henry fed Bodvarsson but Norris made a fine save to thwart the popular striker.
Wolves: Lonergan, Saville, Coady (capt), Price, Hause, Iorfa, Henry, Teixeira (Doherty 57), Costa (Bodvarsson 69), Oniangue (Edwards 62), Wallace.
Unused subs: Ikeme, Batth, Mason, Borthwick-Jackson.
Cambridge: Norris, Adams, Berry (capt), Williamson, Legge, Elito (Pigott 64), Dunne (Newton 45), Mingoia, Taylor, Clark (Gosling 69), Coulson.
Unused subs: Keane, Dallison, Gregory, Long.
Booking: Adams (55 – foul).
Referee: B. Malone.
Attendance: 9,500 (392 away supporters).
