Wolves under-21s received a rude awakening on their return to the top flight of the PL2 as Chelsea hit James Collins’ young side for seven at Aggborough.
A brace each from Harvey Vale and Dion Rankine put the visitors into an unassailable lead, and the game was done shortly after the break.
Nathan Fraser’s well-taken header was a rare positive for the old gold, as it came between two further Chelsea strikes courtesy of Alfie Gilchrist and Jayden Wareham.
Back in the top tier for the first time in two years, Wolves’ eyes were opened to the challenges ahead with a brutal first-half from Chelsea. Vale, who featured for the Blues’ first-team last term stood out with two clean strikes in the first 13 minutes which put the visitors in control.
Wolves’ young side refused to be blown away however, and once they settled, Joe Hodge fired over from the edge of the box and Wolves started to ask questions. However, in first-half stoppage time, a low cross was fired past Jackson Smith and Rankine was on hand to tuck into an open net.
Half-time | Wolves 0-3 Chelsea
Wolves improved after the interval as Dylan Scicluna shot straight at Eddie Beach, however the sucker punch arrived 57 when Omari Hutchinson got in down the left and fired across for Rankine to knock home his second of the game.
James Collins made a series of changes to offer minutes and try and salvage something from the game, however from a set piece soon after, Alfie Gilchrist was the benefiter, nodding into the net with Smith rooted to the spot.
To their credit, Wolves kept going and Nathan Fraser got in down the right and was denied by the feet of Beach. However, the young striker wouldn’t be denied and once substitute Luke Matheson picked him out with a cross, he expertly guided out of the reach of Beach.
However, any positivity from that goal quickly disappeared when Ollie Tipton tripped his man in the box and Chelsea’s Jayden Wareham tucked home the spot kick, before concluding the scoring with four minutes to go after racing clean through.
Full-time | Wolves 1-7 Chelsea
COMING UP
James Collins’ side are back in action on Sunday afternoon when head to Lancashire to take on Blackburn Rovers at the Lancashire FA Country Ground.
NEXT FIVE
14/08 Blackburn Rovers (A)
22/08 Brighton & Hove Albion (H)
26/08 Crystal Palace (A)
30/08 Shrewsbury Town (A) – PJT
05/09 Fulham (H)
TEAMS
Wolves | Smith, Birtwistle, Marques, Toti (Tipton 73), Keto-Diyawa (Hubner 59), Griffiths, Hodge, Scicluna (Hodnett 59), Harkin (He), Roberts (Matheson 73), Fraser.
Chelsea | Beach, Rankine, Gilchrist, Mbuyamba, Humphreys, Simons, Hutchinson (Elliot), Webster (Wareham 62), Burston, Vale (Castledine 72), Hall (Haigh).
Unused subs | Sharman-Lowe.
