Wolves headed back to the top of the Premier League 2 table after a fairly comfortable victory over Middlesbrough at New Bucks Head.
A tap-in from defender Max Kilman, who found himself unmarked in the six-yard box from a corner opened the scoring for Wolves, before Pedro Goncalves made the points safe when he rifled a shot past former Wolves stopper Andy Lonergan late in the game.
During a cagey opening 20 minutes to the match Wolves had the best of the chances when Goncalves' shot was spilled by Lonergan to the feet of Benny Ashley-Seal who looked certain to score, but the striker was flagged offside.
Boro had their first opportunity to go in front when Daniel Ward was released into the Wolves box, but he fired his powerful shot wide. Minutes later Middlesbrough thought they were ahead when they had the ball in the back of the net, but the linesman's flag game to the rescue of the Wolves defence.
Shortly after, Wolves hit the post when Goncalves picked up the ball in midfield and drove into the visitors' box where his placed effort smacked the upright.
Wolves made the breakthrough on 39 minutes after Elliot Watt’s free kick was tipped over the bar by Lonergan. Kilman was then picked out in the middle of the Boro box from Niall Ennis’ in-swinging corner to hammer home from a matter of yards.
Ashley-Seal had an opportunity to double Wolves’ advantage shortly after half time when he just about managed to get a shot away but the ball was smothered at his feet by Lonergan.
Middlesbrough started to pile on the pressure in search for an equaliser, but it was Wolves who put the game to bed with just over five minutes of the match left to play. The ball was scrambled around the Boro box, but Ennis somehow got a pass out to Goncalves who fired an unstoppable shot across Lonergan and into the back of the net.
MOMENT OF THE MATCH:
Although it followed a messy scramble in the Middlesbrough box, Pedro Goncalves’ finish just inside the 18-yard area for Wolves’ second goal was a great strike, giving Lonergan no chance. An honourable mention goes to a beautiful Sadou Diallo cross-field ‘daisy-cutter’ pass to Goncalves which glided centimetres above the pitch surface.
QUOTES:
Speaking after the game, Wolves boss Rob Edwards said: "It was a really tough game. We knew it was going to be because Middlesbrough were coming off the back of a tough game against Man United and were hungry to get points on the board.
"We made four changes from Monday night [7-0 win over Sunderland] and we've not necessarily had consistency in regards to the starting line-up, but we've got 22 players who can come in. But it was a different type of game tonight, we had to scrap and work hard."
COMING UP:
Wolves face Hull in the first round of the Premier League 2 Cup next Friday night, before the under-23s head to Mansfield in the Checkatrade Trophy the following Tuesday, hoping to bounce back from a 4-2 penalty shoot-out loss to Scunthorpe United in the first game of the tournament.
NEXT FIVE:
05/10 Hull (H)
09/10 Mansfield (A)
19/10 Southampton (A)
29/10 Manchester United (H)
05/11 Stoke City (A)
TEAMS:
Wolves: Sondergaard, Burr (Thompson 61’), Molberg, Kilman, John, Giles, Diallo, Watt, Goncalves (Alves 90’), Ashley-Seal (Heredia 78’), Ennis.
Unused subs: Csoka, Samuels.
Middlesbrough: Lonergan, D Spence, Reading, K Spence, Wood, Stubbs, Ward (Brahimi 65’), Liddle, O’Neill, Malley (Walker 75’), Chapman.
Unused subs: Dale, James.
