Goals in either half from Oskar Buur, Pascal Estrada and Meritan Shabani saw Wolves under-23s overcome Fulham at Aggborough and return to winning ways in Premier League 2.
It took less then 10 minutes for Wolves to break the deadlock, with Buur notching his first goal of the season in classy style.
A wonderful Wolves move started with Luke Cundle in the middle of the park who lifted a chip shot over the back of the Fulham defence, which the Danish wing-back controlled on his chest before smashing a left-footed shot on the turn low and into the back of the net.
The goalscorer almost turned provider a few moments later when Buur’s cross fell to the feet of Lewis Richards inside the box, and with the keeper in no man’s land, the defender couldn’t adjust his footing to get a clear shot at goal.
Andreas Sondergaard was called upon to save his side twice inside the opening 30 minutes with the keeper making himself big to deny Terry Ablade one-on-one after the Fulham forward had latched onto a lofted pass into the area from Ryan De Havilland. The Dane also somehow denied Jean-Pierre Tiehi with a pair of saves from point-blank range.
With Fulham in the ascendance as the game ticked towards half-time, Sondergaard was still the man standing between the Cottagers and an equalising goal as he was at full stretch to palm Ablade’s goalbound shot from the edge of the box out for a corner.
Just before the break, Wolves almost caught the visitors out as Theo Corbeanu used his pace and power to burst beyond the Fulham defence, but the Canadian striker was denied by the fingertips of George Wickens.
Having put pressure on the Fulham defence without troubling Wickens, Wolves finally doubled their advantage just after the hour mark when Estrada nodded home from close range for his first goal for the development side having made the step up from the under-18s in the summer.
Chances continued to fall Wolves’ way, with Corbeanu and Shabani coming close, but Fulham could have got themselves back into the tie if not for Sondergaard making a comfortable save to deny De Havilland from a free-kick in a decent position, and a header flashing narrowly wide of the Wolves keeper’s upright.
However, Wolves weren’t just able to hold on, but they extended their lead further when Sondergaard fired a long pass to Shabani who twisted and turned in the box before firing into the bottom corner to secure the win for his side.
Keeping just their second clean sheet of the season, Wolves were well deserving of their third victory of the season which lifted the development side up to fourth in the Premier League 2 Division 2 table.
COMING UP
James Collins’ under-23s are back in Premier League 2 Division 2 action later this week as they take travel to the north east to take on Sunderland, before a trip to Doncaster Rovers in the final group stage match of the Papa John’s Trophy next Tuesday evening.
NEXT FIVE
06/11 Sunderland (A)
10/11 Doncaster Rovers* (A) PJT
20/11 Middlesbrough (H)
30/11 Newcastle United (A)
14/12 West Bromwich Albion (A)
*indicates first-team opposition
TEAMS
Wolves: Sondergaard, Buur (Matheson 46), Estrada, Marques, Richards, Bueno, Cundle, Perry, Shabani, Campbell (Hong Wan 74), Corbeanu.
Unused subs: Mayounga, Hesketh, Roberts.
Fulham: Wickens, Murphy, Ameyaw, McAvoy, Larkeche, Harris, Page, De Havilland, Pajaziti (O’Neill 55), Tiehi, Ablade.
Unused subs: Ashby-Hammond, Duru, Aina.
