Wolves under-21s scored three goals without reply to cruise to victory over Leicester City on a night of torrential rain at Aggborough.
Despite the testing conditions, the old gold secured a second win from their last three PL2 games, with Harvey Griffiths, Nathan Fraser and Connor Ronan all getting on the scoresheet.
A strong outfit was named by Ian Sharps who was able to call upon Matija Sarkic, Yerson Mosquera, Ronan and Chem Campbell to complement the rest of his troops - Joe Hodge was also back with his teammates following recent first team exploits and wore the armband.
Wolves took the lead with just eight minutes on the clock. After Campbell had cut inside and saw his effort blocked, the ball fell perfectly to Griffiths who kept his head down to hit a first-time strike in off the post.
Harvey Griffiths strikes in off the post 💪#PL2 pic.twitter.com/wYLsRs1YZo
— Wolves Academy (@WolvesAcademy) October 31, 2022
Ronan saw plenty of the ball as the home side controlled possession and dominated proceedings. The midfielder fired just over the bar from distance, before cutting inside and forcing a low save from Arlo Doherty shortly after.
The Wolves youngsters doubled their lead on the 25-minute mark when Ronan’s deep corner was headed back into the danger zone by Griffiths, and Fraser was there in the right place to divert home from a few yards.
A third almost followed immediately after as Campbell played a neat one-two with Dexter Lembikisa before letting fly with an effort that came back off the post.
The Foxes so nearly gifted Wolves another when some loose play inside their own penalty area saw Fraser dispossess Paul Appiah, before Campbell cleverly back-heeled to Ronan who could only shoot over the top.
At the other end, Leicester pounced on a Mosquera pass which was played straight to the feet of Zach Booth who threaded Sammy Braybrooke in on goal, but the man in blue was made to rush his shot as a result of Alfie Pond’s presence and drove his shot just wide.
Half-time | Wolves 2-0 Leicester
Battling with our opponents as well as the elements 👊 pic.twitter.com/fTJXKDsjDv
— Wolves Academy (@WolvesAcademy) October 31, 2022
The visitors made a triple change at half-time, which gave a slight momentum shift in the favour of the Foxes who came out for the second 45 with more intensity.
Pond came across well to make a vital block following a run and cross down the right wing from Booth who had made up plenty of ground.
Despite the best efforts of Leicester in their quest to find a way back into the game, it was Wolves who came close to netting once again. Campbell received the ball after Hodge was first in the tackle, before letting fly with a dipping effort that forced Doherty to take no chances as the goalkeeper batted the ball away from danger.
Will Alves was a menace at times and it was his creativity and low centre of gravity that allowed him to dig out a cross to Booth at the back post. He met the ball sweetly on the volley, but found Lembikisa in the way who stood firm to make a solid block.
And it was Lembikisa who was involved in Wolves’ third of the evening following some patient build-up play. A one-two saw the full-back play it back to Ronan who advanced forward and curled in a sublime effort from the edge of the area that nestled into the far corner and out of Doherty’s reach.
A sublime way to add a third, @ConnorRonan10 🤤#PL2 pic.twitter.com/w2Sua5pBx1
— Wolves Academy (@WolvesAcademy) October 31, 2022
A first clean sheet since August was on the line and Sarkic produced two wonderful saves from Brandon Cover and Alves to deny Leicester a consolation, before substitute Owen Farmer almost squeezed in a fourth for Wolves with the last kick of the game.
Full-time | Wolves 3-0 Leicester
COMING UP
The under-21s are back in PL2 action at the same time next week, this time with a trip to face West Ham.
NEXT FIVE
- 07/11 West Ham (A)
- 11/11 Reading (H) PLC
- 14/11 Sunderland (H) PLC
- 19/11 Porto (H) PLIC
- 22/11 Rugby (A) (BSC)
TEAMS
Wolves | Sarkic, Birtwistle, Lembikisa (Keto-Diyawa 90+4), Hodge, Mosquera, Pond, Harkin (Tipton 65), Griffiths, Fraser (Farmer 84), Ronan, Campbell (Hodnett 90+4).
Unused subs | Kandola.
Leicester | Doherty, Cartwright (Cover 46), Brunt, Braybrooke, Appiah, Wilson-Brown, McAteer (Lindsay 73), Flynn (K. Pennant 46), Maswanhise (T. Pennant 46), Alves, Booth.
Unused subs | Chibueze.
