Bruno Jordao scored a deserving equaliser for Wolves under-23s as they played out an entertaining draw with Burnley, which ended in almost unplayable conditions as heavy fog fell at Aggborough.
The Portuguese midfielder was one of several men currently involved in Bruno Lage’s first-team who dropped down to the development side on Monday evening, and he scored a neatly worked goal to earn a point for the side.
The opening 20 minutes of the match were understandably scrappy, with many of the players in James Collins’ side not having played much football in the past month.
Burnley had the best of the early chances, with gold and black goalkeeper Louie Moulden being kept busy from long-range, but the England youth stopper was equal to the efforts.
Although Wolves pushed against a Burnley side who pressed high up the pitch, chances were few and far between for the hosts, and they were punished midway through the half when the defence allowed the ball to bounce around the penalty area, it wasn’t cleared, and Finlay Armstrong was able to pounce and fire the ball beyond Moulden.
Dara Costelloe then spurned a good opportunity having waltzed through the Wolves defence as he fired his effort wide of the post. Minutes later, his pass to Joe McGlynn when through on goal was overhit and Wolves were able to clear.
Having not featured for the first-team due to Covid isolation, Ki-Jana Hoever was among those first-team regulars given a run-out in the development side, and it was the wing-back who was trying to create a way back into the game for Wolves, but no forwards in the gold shirts were able to get on the end of his crosses. Although he was fortunate not to have conceded a penalty on the half hour mark for a clumsy tackle on the edge of the box, but the referee waved play on.
The rustiness appeared to be wearing off as the half progressed, with Wolves beginning to get a foothold on the game, and they almost found an equaliser when Bruno Jordao’s curling effort was tipped over the crossbar by Burnley keeper Lewis Thomas.
Wolves stepped up a gear in the second-half and should have found an equaliser from the several opportunities they fired at the Burnley goal, but were somehow denied by a combination of the Clarets’ goalkeeper and defenders.
Firstly, Hugo Bueno blazed over the crossbar having picked up the ball on the left side of the penalty area, before Jack Hodnett and Bueno pulled a pair of quality saves from Thomas. When the goalkeeper was finally beaten, defender Harry Williams was there to rescue him, with the centre-back making a crucial block to stop substitute Dexter Lembikisa celebrating his first goal at under-23 level.
But the deadlock was finally broken with just over 20 minutes remaining on the clock as Jordao picked up the ball midway inside the Burnley half, took on several claret and blue shirts as he made his way into the penalty area before firing low into the bottom corner.
The conditions deteriorated throughout the closing stages, with thick fog covering much of the Aggborough pitch, making visibility an issue for not only the teams, but the viewing public. Although discussions were held as to whether the game should be called off, but fortunately, nothing of note happened, and the referee blew for full-time dead on 90 minutes.
COMING UP
James Collins’ side are back to Premier League 2 action next Monday evening as the under-23s travel to the north-east to take on Sunderland in a 7pm kick-off.
NEXT FIVE
24/01 Sunderland (A)
04/02 Swansea City (H) PLC
07/02 Birmingham City (H)
14/02 Exeter City (H) PLC
18/03 Middlesbrough (A)
TEAMS
Wolves: Moulden, Hoever (Lembikisa 46), Agboola (Mabete 62), Marques (Estrada 83), Buur, Bueno, Cundle, Jordao, Hodnett, Campbell, Samuels.
Unused subs: Farmer, Harkin.
Burnley: Thomas, Vaughan, Rooney, Williams, Armstrong, Tucker (Olopade 89), Helm, Woods, Dodgson, Costelloe, McGlynn.
Unused subs: Allen, Eastmond, Hughes, Behan.
