Wolves under-23s fell to last-minute heartbreak as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Premier League 2 Division 1 leaders Derby County.
Mark Kennedy’s side started the game stronger than their opposition, and after Elliot Watt went close with an early set-piece which drifted just wide of Henrich Ravas’ right-hand post Wolves took the lead through a wonder striker from Terry Taylor. The midfieder picked the ball up 25 yards from goal before firing a rocket past the Derby stopper.
Derby fought for an equaliser as the first-half went on, with Louie Sibley testing Andreas Sondergaard from range, but the Wolves keeper thwarted the midfielder with a smart save.
Just before the break, Wolves extended their advantage through captain Ed Francis who was marking just his second appearance since returning from an injury which has kept him out for the past two months, with the centre-half beating Ravas with a pinpoint free-kick.
In the second-half, Derby ramped up the heat on Wolves, with Mitchell-Lawson missing a fine opportunity when he fired over from close-range, but the pressure finally told just after the hour mark when Jahmal Hector-Ingram won and converted a penalty to half the host’s deficit.
Derby kept pushing in search of an equaliser and in the 89th minute, Hectory-Ingram was fouled once again in the area, but he blazed his second spot-kick over Sondergaard’s crossbar.
With Wolves holding on to the three points, the Rams snatched one back with the last kick of the game when Lee Buchanan headed Alex Babos’ corner past Sondergaard to secure a draw for his side.
COMING UP
The under-21s are in Leasing.com Trophy action on Tuesday night as they take a trip to Blackpool aiming to reach the knockout stages of the competition. Wolves sit top of the Group G, two points clear of the Seasiders and Carlisle United, who face Morecambe next week in the final group match.
NEXT FIVE
05/11 Blackpool (A) LCT
09/11 Birmingham City (H) PLC
20/11 Paris Saint-Germain (M) PLIC
23/11 Chelsea (H)
27/11 Athletic Club Bilbao (H) PLIC
TEAMS
Derby: Ravas, Buchanan, Wassall, Bateman (Brown 64), Forsyth, Sibley, Bird (Babos 86), Knight, Bennett (Shonibare 56), Mitchell-Lawson, Hector-Ingram.
Unused subs: Barnes, Minkley.
Wolves: Sondergaard, Buur (Thompson 70), Csoka (Tsun Dai 76), Francis, Richards, Otasowie (Flavio 45), Watt, Taylor, Campbell, Ashley-Seal, Hanne.
Unused subs: Pardington, Samuels.
