Conor Carty’s late effort secured all three points for Wolves under-23s as they overcame Newcastle United on the road in a second-half filled with drama.
In a first-half void of much quality, there were only two moments of real class which could have made a difference to the scoreline.
Dropping down from the first-team for the hosts, Jonjo Shelvey brought a flying save from Wolves goalkeeper Louie Moulden just under a quarter of an hour into the contest, as the midfielder’s goalbound effort was palmed away.
Despite seeing a lot of possession, Newcastle were unable to pose much of a threat to the Wolves box, and the visitors made the Magpies pay in the closing minutes of the half.
Winger Chem Campbell brought a good save from Daniel Langley as he was played in down the left before cutting inside and aiming a shot inside the near post, which was pushed behind by the Newcastle keeper.
From the resulting corner, Campbell’s cross curled high to the far post where the ball was met by the leap of Michael Agboola, who put two-and-a-half years of injury troubles behind him with his first goal in a Wolves shirt, as his looping header beat Langley and crossed the line before Shelvey was able to get his boot to the ball.
The half-time break seemed to inject life into proceedings, with Wolves coming out of the blocks quickly, as Harry Birtwistle doubled the advantage for James Collins’ side. Following a scramble in the box, the ball eventually broke to the Singaporean, who slammed his effort beyond Langley.
Newcastle found their feet and began their comeback just three minutes later when Shelvey’s free-kick was swung into a dangerous area and Charlie Wiggett got in front of his marker to turn the ball home.
Moments before Newcastle did find the back of the net, Shelvey thought he had levelled up the game, but he was stopped at point-blank range by Moulden. However, it was Dylan Stephenson who did even the score when he picked up the ball on the right before making space and shooting across goal, with the ball going in off the inside of the post.
Newcastle could have completed their comeback on 83 minutes when a header inside the penalty area appeared to be crossing the goalline, but substitute Ollie Tipton was in the right place at the right time to head the ball away from under the crossbar.
But it was Wolves who claimed all three points with just minutes remaining. Oskar Buur, in his first appearance in gold and back for almost a year after returning from injury, put a cross into the Newcastle penalty area which eventually fell to Carty, and with his back to goal, he swung a shot on the turn before finding his effort sneaking inside the left upright.
COMING UP
James Collins’ side are set to be back in action next Monday evening as the under-23s head to Stoke City in the PL2 from 7pm. However, with the Wolves first-team also in action at home to Everton from 8pm that evening, the match could yet be rearranged.
NEXT FIVE
01/11 Stoke City (A)
05/11 West Bromwich Albion (H)
09/11 Crewe Alexandra (A) PJT
19/11 Birmingham City (A)
25/11 Swansea City (A) PLC
*indicates first-team opposition
TEAMS
Newcastle: Langley, Barrett, Savage, Wiggett, Scott, Turner-Cook (Longelo 74), Young, Shelvey, Wilson, White, Stephenson.
Unused subs: Thompson, Cross, Oliver, De Bolle.
Wolves: Moulden, Scott (Buur 64), Agboola (Tipton 45), Nya, Birtwistle (Hodnett 80), Estrada, Cundle, Lembikisa, Hesketh, Carty, Campbell.
Unused subs: Bugarin, Harkin.
