Wolves under-23s lost in the league for the first time in 2022 as Nottingham Forest’s goal in first-half added time proved to be the difference between the two teams and brought Wolves’ winning run to an end.
Looking for their seventh win on the bounce, Wolves made a slow start at Meadow Lane as two of the form teams in Premier League 2 went toe-to-toe, while also cancelling each other out.
Wolves created the best opening of the game after 10 minutes on the clock when Taylor Perry found Hugo Bueno with a brilliant pass, but having checked the ball back to Chem Campbell, the Welsh winger saw his shot blocked.
The first-half saw chances few and far between them, but Forest were growing in confidence as the half progressed, with Julian Larsson and testing Jamie Pardington’s reflexes in the Wolves goal, before finding themselves in front just before the break.
A neat ball into the box found Will Swan, eight yards out with his back to goal, but the Forest forward was able to turn Christian Marques and fire a bullet effort into the top corner of the net and beyond the reach of Pardington.
The second period played out similarly to the first, as neither team were able to get the upper hand, and play switching quickly between the sides, while chances continued to be at a premium.
Alex Gibson-Hammond swept an effort straight at Pardington for Forest, while Wolves’ best opportunities fell to Lee Harkin from range and Campbell, who cut inside before firing an effort towards goal at the near post, but home keeper George Shelvey tipped the ball around the upright.
Pardington was the busier of the two stoppers as the game came to a close with the visitors still chasing an equaliser, but it was Forest who looked the most likely to add the second as the Wolves keeper twice brought saves from Ateef Konate efforts.
Wolves pushed in the later stages of the match, with Tyler Roberts, Harry Birtwistle and Jack Hodnett all brought from the bench as Collins’ side searched for the goal needed to snatch a point.
There was late drama as Roberts struck the post before the rebound was headed narrowly wide by Justin Hubner, but it wasn’t to be as the under-23s tasted defeat for only the second time in all competitions since the turn of the year.
COMING UP
James Collins’ side are back in action next Sunday afternoon when they face their Premier League Cup quarter-final by taking a trip to Peterborough United, kick-off 2pm.
NEXT FIVE
10/04 Peterborough United (A) PLC
15/04 Middlesbrough (A)
18/04 Newcastle United (H)
25/04 Stoke City (H)
29/04 Norwich City (A)
TEAMS
Forest: Shelvey, Gibson-Hammond, Fernandes (Hammond 79), Harbottle, Donnelly, Panzo, Barnes, Fewster, Larsson, Konate, Swan.
Unused subs: Hogarth, Valencia, Gardner, Korpal.
Wolves: Pardington, Lembikisa, Mosquera, Marques, Hubner, Bueno, Griffiths, Hodge (Hodnett 64), Perry (Birtwistle 64), Campbell, Harkin (Roberts 82)
Unused subs: Kandola, Tipton.
