Chem Campbell’s perfect hat-trick and Yerson Mosquera’s first goal in gold and black helped Wolves under-23s to victory over Reading which became a nervy affair in the late stages following a fightback from the Royals.
The Welshman scored with his right foot, left foot and head to give Wolves a 4-1 lead following Mosquera's headed effort, but Reading fought back strongly in the closing stages. However, James Collins' men were able to hold on to all three points as they continued their unbeaten start to 2022 in Premier League 2 Division 2.
Wolves started the game brightly and were causing problems for the Reading defence. A set-piece opportunity allowed the experienced defence of Mosquera and Toti into the Royals’ box and it was the former who was appealing for a penalty inside the opening 10 minutes when he appeared to be tripped as he stretched for the ball.
Another of the first-team players stepping down to the under-23s this evening was Chiquinho, and the tricky winger was also proving to be a handful for the visiting defenders as he twisted and turned his way into a goalscoring opportunity, but his early chances were blocked behind.
The deadlock was broken just before the quarter hour mark, as a face-paced breakaway saw Hugo Bueno played into space down the left and his cross fell to Campbell inside the penalty area who guided a first-time effort into the top corner of the net.
Bueno almost turned scorer having provided the assist for Campbell’s opener when he went on a tricky run through the heart of the Reading midfield before launching a stinging shot from the edge of the penalty area, but unfortunately for the Spanish wing-back, his effort flew just narrowly over the crossbar.
Welsh winger Campbell doubled his tally for the evening with a neatly-placed header just after half an hour on the clock after Wolves had robbed Reading of possession, and Chiquinho’s deep cross was headed back across goal and inside the far post, leaving Reading goalkeeper James Holden stranded.
Moments after the break, Wolves should have made it three as Chiquinho fired over from a good position inside the Reading penalty area after the winger was found by Bueno who had made a clever overlapping run before cutting a low ball back into the box for his Portuguese teammate.
Campbell was denied a first chance of completing his hat-trick when Holden was able to grab onto a powerful header when the winger was found inside the penalty area from a Luke Cundle corner, but from that chance, Reading halved the deficit.
Holden set Reading on a quick breakaway, and with Wolves having all three of their defenders inside the opposition penalty area for the previous corner, it left a wide space for Jahmari Clarke to run into before firing low past Sondergaard.
But Wolves quickly regained their two-goal lead, with Wolves attacking straight from the kick-off to win themselves another corner, and this time Cundle’s delivery was turned into the net by Mosquera who climbed highest in the box to guide his header past Holden and into the far corner.
With 20 minutes remaining in the match, Campbell was able to round off an impressive performance with his hat-trick goal. After the winger was fouled just outside the penalty area, he stepped up and curled an unstoppable effort inside the top right-hand corner of the net.
Moments later, Wolves’ three-goal lead was shortened as Reading hit back immediately when Claudio Osorio was given space inside the penalty area and he lifted the ball inside the far post, catching the gold and black defenders napping.
The visitors closed their deficit to just the one goal with just over five minutes remaining in the game to set up a nervy ending to proceedings when Clarke notched his second of the game from a corner at the second attempt after his first effort was blocked on the line by Andreas Sondergaard, but the striker was first to the ball to hammer home from close-range.
Wolves had a clear shout for a penalty turned down by the referee in the closing moments as Chiquinho won possession in the middle of the pitch and set off. He raced past several blue and white shirts before appearing to be tripped in the box as he prepared to let fly at goal, but the referee was unmoved.
The hosts had to hold on in the latter stages as Reading pushed forward in search of the equalising goal, but it wasn’t to come and Wolves made sure the three points stayed in the West Midlands.
COMING UP
James Collins’ side have a fortnight’s break before continuing their Premier League 2 campaign on the road at West Bromwich Albion as the under-23s take part in the latest Black Country derby. Before then, several of the younger members of the squad will be looking to be involved in the semi-final of the FA Youth Cup away at Manchester United.
NEXT FIVE
14/03 West Bromwich Albion (A)
18/03 Aston Villa (H)
25/03 Southampton (A)
01/04 Nottingham Forest (A)
15/04 Middlesbrough (A)
TEAMS
Wolves: Sondergaard, Birtwistle (Lembikisa 46), Mosquera (Estrada 61), Marques, Toti, Bueno, Cundle, Perry, Chiquinho, Campbell (Hodge 82), Harkin.
Unused subs: Hodnett, Carty.
Reading: Holden, Holzman, Holmes, Abrefa, Samuels, Leavy, Osorio, Camara (Scott 84), Barker, Clarke, Meite.
Unused subs: Norcott, Abbey, Sackey, Melvin-Lambert.
