Match Report Wolves v Preston North End

An eventful campaign for Wolves ended with a narrow win over Preston North End in a game that had a distinct end of season flavour to it.

There were five changes from the side that had lost at Derby with Silvio, Jordan Graham, Bright Enobakhare, Andi Weimann and Danny Batth coming in for George Saville, Lee Evans, Ivan Cavaleiro, Mike Williamson and Ben Marshall. 

Wolves kicked-off and they couldn’t have wished for a better start to the game taking the lead after just a minute’s play. 

Alex Baptiste cleared Graham’s cross at the expense of a corner which was then taken by the winger and Batth ran in at the far post to power home a header that gave Preston keeper Chris Maxwell no chance (pictured).

Batth was soon in action in his own area refusing to be outmuscled by the formidable figure of striker Jordan Hugill before clearing upfield.

Paul Gallagher was too high with a 20-yard free-kick after Kortney Hause was penalised for a challenge on Hugill and then Batth headed high and wide after another centre from Graham.

In the 18th minute Maxwell ‘lost’ a cross from Graham and the keeper was grateful to his defence who hacked the ball clear before Enobakhare or Weimann could prosper.

Romaine Saiss tried his luck from fully 30-yards out and whilst his shot packed plenty of power, it wasn’t close enough to trouble Maxwell.

Weimann was flagged offside as he sprinted onto a through ball from Enobakhare before Preston’s best effort of the half saw Stevie May dragging the ball wide of the far post from the edge of the box.

Half-Time: Wolves 1 Preston 0

Three minutes into the second half Enobakhare was inches away from a second. Dicko cut into the area and held off a challenge before pulling the ball back to his fellow striker whose shot came back off the foot of the post before being booted clear.

A minute later Silvio earned some well-deserved applause when he struck a tremendous effort that was a whisker away.

The industrious Dave Edwards then teed the ball up for Dicko but he was thwarted by Maxwell who spread himself to block. The loose ball ran to Graham and his first time effort flew narrowly over the bar.

Paul Huntington became the first substitute to be used in the game when he went on for Tyias Browning and then Edwards set up an opportunity for Enobakhare but his shot was too high.

Enobakhare had another chance as he closed down on Saiss’s through ball but Maxwell dived to save. Saiss was booked shortly afterwards for a foul on Gallagher.

Hugill’s header was of no real concern to Harry Burgoyne and more substitutions followed with Joe Mason taking over from Graham and, for Preston, Jermaine Beckford replaced Hugill.

In the 70th minute Dicko held off a double challenge as he ran into the box and, from an angle, he fired narrowly wide of the far post.

Further changes were made with Daryl Horgan going on for Tom Barkhuizen and for Wolves, Jon Dadi Bodvarsson replaced Dicko. 

After Pearson had been booked for a foul on Batth, the Molineux crowd were almost treated to a spectacular goal from Conor Coady who raced in onto a deep cross from Silvio and, from a tight angle, volleyed over the angle.

Another long cross, this time into the home box, came from Gallagher but Beckford got his feet in a tangle when he was in a good position and the ball went harmlessly behind for a goal kick.

Huntington was booked for a clumsy challenge on Edwards and then Dominic Iorfa became the last change of the afternoon when he went on for Weimann.

In stoppage time a rare moment of action for Burgoyne saw the keeper turning over a shot from Horgan and when Bodvarsson stormed through on the Preston goal a minute later, Maxwell sprinted from his area and used his chest to block the ball before clearing.

Newcastle United Academy Under 18s 1 Wolves 3 (Carr 2, own goal)