Despite dominating much of the first-half, Wolves under-23’s unbeaten start to the season came to an end as James Collins’ side fell to defeat against Aston Villa at Aggborough.
In an opening 10 minutes of the Premier League 2 Division 2 clash, Wolves were the dominant force and could – and possibly should – have taken the lead through Oskar Buur.
Following a succession of corners which Wolves were unable to take advantage on, the ball eventually found its way to Conor Carty on the left who played a tantalising cross across the box which ended up with the Danish wing-back at the far post, but he was unable to lash his effort on target.
Villa found their feet in the contest as the first-half progressed, with Kaine Kessler having the best opportunity to open the scoring for the visitors as the right-back let fly from 25 yards out, but his long-range effort was palmed over the crossbar by Wolves keeper Andreas Sondergaard.
Hugo Bueno was once again using his pace to drive through the Villa defence as he left his opposition in his wake, before lifting a dangerous cross into the area, which fell just in front of Carty’s attempted diving header.
Meritan Shabani was close to putting his side ahead when he threw his body onto a terrific Taylor Perry cross, but the Villa goalkeeper Akos Onodi did enough to get a hand to the German youth international’s goalbound header.
Despite the host’s dominant performance, it was Villa who took the lead just before half-time, with Aaron Ramsey getting on the end of Tyreik Wright’s cross into the box before guiding a shot beyond Sondergaard from the centre of the penalty area.
With both sides having opportunities at the start of an even second period, it was the team in gold and black who found the back of the net.
Following good work from Shabani, the Villa defence could only clear as far as Perry in the centre of the box, who drove his effort into the bottom corner of the net.
But just four minutes later, Villa were back ahead when Louie Barry turned Rafael Nya one way and then the other before firing into the roof of the net from a tight angle.
Barry made it three for Villa with 10 minutes of the game remaining when a ball was lifted over the Wolves defence and onto the chest of the Villa forward whose first-time effort beat Sondergaard. Substitute Jaden Philogene-Bidace thought he had Villa’s fourth moments later, but the assistant’s flag was up for offside.
COMING UP
The under-23s will travel to south London next Monday afternoon, with James Collins’ men taking on Crystal Palace in a 2pm kick-off.
NEXT FIVE
26/10 Crystal Palace (A)
01/11 Fulham (H)
06/11 Sunderland (A)
10/11 Doncaster Rovers* (A) EFLT
22/11 Middlesbrough (A)
*indicates first-team opposition
TEAMS
Wolves: Sondergaard, Buur (Matheson 84), Nya, Marques, Estrada, Bueno, Cundle, Perry, Shabani (Campbell 73), Corbeanu, Carty (Dongda He 84).
Unused subs: Scott, Hong Wan.
Villa: Onodi, Kessler, S. Revan, D. Revan, Bridge, Sylla, Wright, Chukwuemeka (Rowe 85), Sturridge, Ramsey (Philogene-Bidace 75), Barry.
Unused subs: Marschall, Farr, Burton.
