Southampton 0
Wolves 2 (Batth 67, Wilson 87)
None of the team that started in the Championship meeting with Cardiff City were involved and for Ben Marshall and Sylvain Deslandes there was a first taste, this season, of senior action.
Southampton kicked-off attacking the end of the ground that housed around 1,500 supporters that had made the long mid-week journey down from Wolverhampton to the south coast.
Nouha Dicko had a hat-trick of chances in a two minute spell but none were taken. After seven minutes he just failed to control a lofted through ball from Jack Price with only keeper Fraser Forster in front of him.
Then he jinked his way into the box past his marker before hitting an angled shot that was turned behind by Forster, and finally he stumbled onto the ball which trickled wide after Ivan Cavaleiro had won possession and pulled it back from the by-line.
Southampton’s first attempt of note came when Maya Yoshida headed narrowly wide following James Ward-Prowse’s 15th minute corner.
Sofiane Boufal, with a fiercely struck cross-shot, tested Will Norris who was then relieved to see Jeremy Pied’s drive drift narrowly wide of the far post after the Saints defender had sprinted into the Wolves box.
Norris was hurt and needed treatment after Charlie Austin attempted to stop his clearance. Austin was shown the yellow card.
An Austin free-kick was headed tamely into the arms of Norris by Jan Bednarek but the keeper had to be at his best in the 40th minute as he made a brilliant save to turn away Bednarek’s goalbound header following a another free-kick from Austin.
Norris had to concede another corner as he saved from Pied and when the visiting defence failed to clear Ward-Prowse’s flag-kick, Dusan Tadic.fired just a couple of feet wide.
Marshall, for a foul on Pied, and Oriel Romeu for tripping Cavaleiro, were both booked in the closing minutes of the half which ended with a Dicko shot that flew into the side netting.
Half-Time: Saints 0 Wolves 0
Connor Ronan was an interval replacement for Marshall as Wolves started brightly with Price unlucky to see his 20-yard drive hitting a defender rather than the back of the net.
Saints had to concede three corners as Wolves looked to break the deadlock with Ronan making an instant impression.
Home penalty appeals when Deslandes and Tadic tangled in the Wolves box were waved away by the referee.
And, with the half at the midway stage, Wolves took the lead with Danny Batth nodding home Cavaleiro’s corner.
A number of substitutions followed with Southampton sending on Nathan Redmond for Jan Bednarek, Shane Long for Tadic and Manolo Gabbiadini for Boufal whilst Nuno replaced Dicko with Michal Zyro.
Shortly after his introduction, Zyro went into the book for clipping Sam McQueen as the two battled for possession.
Norris had to turn a deflected cross from Redmond against the bar and the corner that followed was cleared with little difficulty by the Wanderers defence.
In the 85th minute, Wilson went on in place of Cavaleiro and just two minutes later he was celebrating joyously after sealing his side’s victory.
Zyro threaded a great pass into Wilson’s path and, although he appeared to take a shove as he took aim, the Academy striker still managed to slot the ball past Forster (pictured).
There were four added minutes but the defence weren’t troubled by the Saints strike force and the final whistle heralded mass celebrations from visiting players and fans alike.
Saints: Forster, Yoshida (capt), Stephens, Austin, Tadic (Long 76), Romeu, Ward-Prowse, Boufal (Gabbiadini 76), Pied, Bednarek (Redmond 73), McQueen.
Unused subs: McCarthy, Cedric, Davis, Bertrand
Bookings: Austin (27 – foul), Romeu (45 – foul).
Wolves: Norris, Vinagre, Graham, Edwards, Batth (capt), Bennett, Cavaleiro (Wilson 85), Price, Dicko (Zyro 74), Deslandes, Marshall (Ronan 45).
Unused subs: Burgoyne, Pereira, Johnson, Armstrong.
Bookings: Marshall (45 – foul), Zyro (75 – foul).
Referee: J. Linington.
Attendance: 17,931.
