West Ham 4 (Mavropanos 42 & 83, Taty 66 & 68) Wolves 0
A disastrous second half in the capital saw Wolves return from a 25-day break with a heavy defeat at West Ham United on Friday evening.
Having been a threat for much of the first half, Wolves were unlocked just before the break from a recycled corner as Konstantinos Mavropanos headed home Jarrod Bowen’s delivery.
It was two goals in three second half minutes, both from Taty, which will have enraged Rob Edwards, whose side conceded a fourth late on as Mavropanos grabbed his brace and condemned the Old Gold to a bad defeat away from home.
For much of the first half Edwards will have been pleased with what he saw from his side, who shaded large spells. Determined to make a mark early on, both Andre and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde missed the target with efforts from distance.
After Crysencio Summerville cleared the crossbar for the hosts, Wolves responded with a header just wide courtesy of Yerson Mosquera. The Old Gold were then asking for a foul by Pablo, whose boot was high, before Jarrod Bowen shot straight at Jose Sa.
Adam Armstrong was leading the line well once again and, after Ladislav Krejci had taken the ball from El Hadji Malick Diouf, the striker turned and shot over. He came even closer three minutes later when Mosquera flicked on Krejci’s long throw, but Mads Hermansen was equal to Armstrong’s header.
For all their positive work, Wolves had nothing to show for at the break. The Old Gold had cleared Bowen’s corner, but the England international’s returned cross was on the money for Mavropanos who rose highest to plant a firm header into the net.
Edwards will at least have been relieved that the game was still tight at the break, after Bellegarde’s pass was cut out and the Hammers countered, only for Sa to saved down low from Pablo.
Half-time | West Ham 1-0 Wolves
At 1-0, Wolves were in the game and looking a threat. Armstrong nearly finished off a clever set piece routine, before Angel Gomes crashed a free-kick against the post and whipped an effort just over from another set piece.
Bowen struck a post for West Ham too, after Summerville had lofted wide with Sa off his line, however two goals in three second half minutes took the game completely away from the Old Gold.
Mateus Mane, fresh off the bench, was dispossessed and Pablo’s deft flicked set up Taty who got there ahead of Mosquera and rolled the ball home for 2-0.
Disastrously however, from their kick-off, Wolves then gifted the ball straight back to the Hammers through Joao Gomes and Bowen was able to find Taty to turn home off the inside of the post.
The game was over at that point, but the hosts still found a fourth when a corner was flicked on by Santiago Bueno and turned home on the fall by Mavropanos.
That was the final blow for Wolves, whose positive run of form before the 25-day break from Premier League football was ended at the other end of it.
Full-time | West Ham 4-0 Wolves
West Ham | Hermansen, Walker-Peters, Disasi, Mavropanos, Diouf, Soucek, Fernandes (Magassa 85), Summerville (Adama 78), Bowen, Pablo (Potts 78), Taty (Wilson 82).
Unused subs | Areola, Todibo, Wan-Bissaka, Scarles, Kante.
Wolves | Sa, Tchatchoua, Mosquera (Arokodare 71), S Bueno, Krejci, H Bueno, Andre, J Gomes (Edozie 85), A Gomes (R Gomes 61), Bellegarde (Mane 61), Armstrong (Hwang 71).
Unused subs | Bentley, Lima, Toti, Wolfe.
