Wolves under-23s made it consecutive 1-1 draws as they held Premier League 2 Division 1 leaders Chelsea at Compton Park.
Mark Kennedy’s side started the game on the front foot, with their link-up play and diagonal balls into wide areas setting up several chances.
Elliot Watt and Jordan Graham, who was reinstated into the starting line-up after missing out on Wednesday night’s draw with Paris Saint-Germain, both fired shots from range just over the Chelsea crossbar in the opening stages.
It was Wolves whose positive start was rewarded with 15 minutes on the clock when a through ball over the top of the Chelsea defence was inadvertently headed over keeper Karlo Ziger by Blues captain Marc Guehi before bouncing into the back of the net.
The visitors grew into the game as the first-half wore on and were back in the tie when Valentino Livramento was played in on goal by Charlie Brown. The Chelsea midfielder burst through on goal before slotting his shot past Andreas Sondergaard.
Moments later, Wolves had a chance to regain the lead when Graham was able to wriggle free of his marker on the left and fire an effort towards goal. However, his powerful shot narrowly flew wide of the far post.
There was little to separate the sides in the second-half, but for a pair of outstanding saves from Sondergaard in the Wolves net.
The Danish keeper somehow managed to get a strong palm on Brown’s powerful header from close range before diving and full stretch to push Clinton Mola’s effort – which looked destined for the bottom right-hand corner – behind for a corner.
Wolves brought on Luke Cundle and Dongda He as the development side went in search for a winning goal, but their late efforts were in vain and Kennedy’s youngsters had to settle for a point against the league leaders.
COMING UP
The under-23s face their second European match in seven days as they invite Athletic Club Bilbao to New Bucks Head on Wednesday evening for their second fixture in the Premier League International Cup.
NEXT FIVE
27/11 Athletic Club Bilbao (H) PLIC
02/12 Leeds United (H) PLC
09/12 Brighton & Hove Albion (H)
16/12 Everton (A)
22/12 Liverpool (H) PLIC
TEAMS
Wolves: Sondergaard, Buur (Thompson 45), Csoka, Marques, Sanderson, Richards, Watt, Taylor, Campbell (Cundle 76), Ashley-Seal, Graham (Dongda He 86).
Unused subs: Tsun Dai, Samuels.
Chelsea: Ziger, Maatsen, Lamptey, Gilmour, Guehi, Wakley, Livramento, Nunn (Lewis 60), McEachran, Russell (Mola 54), Brown.
Unused subs: Askew, Laviner, Simeu.
