Play-Off Place Confirmed

The Wolves Under 23’s confirmed their place in the end of season play-offs following a well-earned victory over Norwich City at the New Bucks Head.

In the early exchanges Ray Grant tried a dipping shot from 20-yards that landed on the roof of the net although Harry Burgoyne was watching it all the way.

City were looking lively in the opening stages and they won two corners both of which were taken by Grant. From the second, Ben Godfrey headed the ball back into the heart of the goalmouth and Joe Crowe wasn’t far away with a well-executed bicycle kick.

Jordan Graham soon showed he had lost none of his excellent ball control following his long injury lay off as he jinked his way into the Norwich box before liftng his shot over the bar.

A fierce drive from Ebou Adams struck Connor Johnson and deflected narrowly wide of the near post and, for Wolves, when a Graham cross was headed out to him, Duckens Nazon tried a first time shot that was well wide.

There was another chance for Adams after Diallang Jaiyesimi’s driven centre but the striker, stood on the penalty spot, completely miscued his shot which went sideways before being cleared.

On 36 minutes Aaron Hayden was inches away from giving Wanderers the lead with a glancing header following a Graham corner.

Then Canaries keeper Jake Hallett did well to deny Donovan Wilson although he needed two attempts before he claimed the ball.

Nazon played Wilson into the right side of the area but Hallett won the dual once again, this time at the expense of an unproductive corner.

Just a minute before the break Dan Armstrong broke the deadlock. He ran onto Wilson’s through ball and sidestepped Hallett before converting with an angled shot.

Half-Time: Wolves 1 City 0

The second of Wolves’ comeback ymen, Mickal Zyro, replaced Graham in a planned switch at the start of the new half.

And just five minutes into his return Zyro hit a shot on the run from outside the box that flashed just the wrong side of the post with Hallett struggling to get across his goal.

A Zyro corner almost led to a second Wolves goal as Nazon nodded the ball down and Armstrong, facing the wrong way, tried a backheel that was booted clear by a defender.

Hallett did well to parry Wilson’s angled drive with the ball spinning agonisingly away from Armstrong who would have had the easiest of tasks in scoring.

The second half attacking play had virtually all come from Wolves and they deservedly doubled their advantage in the 66th minute when Wilson bagged his 14th goal of the season as he sidestepped his marker on the 18-yard line before burying a low shot past Hallett.

City fought back, however, and they cut the deficit in the 75th minute when Jaiyesimi stroked the ball past the advancing Burgoyne and into the empty net.

Wilson was close with a deflected shot following a Zyro corner, but, in the 83rd minute, he got his second of the night to seal victory for his side.

There was a touch of quality about the goal with a precision cross from Anthony Breslin to Zyro who was stationed at the far post. The Pole nodded the ball back into the heart of the box where Wilson was waiting to score with a superb overhead kick (pictured).