Man City 4 (Knight 7, Adam 25, 45+1, Hamilton 44) Wolves 3 (Pond 45+3, Fraser 48, 60)
Wolves under-21s were on the wrong side of a seven-goal thriller at the Academy Stadium, as champions Manchester City took all three points on the final day of the season.
The home side found themselves four goals to the good at one stage, but the old gold fought valiantly and scored three of their own through Alfie Pond and Nathan Fraser’s brace.
However, the visitors couldn’t quite complete the comeback despite coming close through substitute Dylan Scicluna’s header late on, while Palmi Arinbjornsson saved a penalty earlier in the half to keep the hopes alive. Those three goals have all but secured Wolves' place in PL2 division one for the 2023/24 campaign, with West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur facing off next weekend and the old gold's goal difference virtually acting as an additional point.
It took just seven minutes for the champions to find the breakthrough, although it came in quite fortunate fashion. The ball was worked out to Ben Knight on the right-hand side and he struck with his left boot towards goal, as the attempt deflected off Pond and found its way past Arinbjornsson and into the net.
Wolves responded well and had two attacks shortly after conceding. Fraser’s header was comfortably into the gloves of Josh McNamara, before the goalkeeper was alert to claim Owen Farmer’s low deflected cross that was creeping in.
And the visitors came even closer to drawing level when the frame of the goal denied Fraser. After the ball was worked out to Farmer, the attacker crossed for the number nine who headed towards goal before seeing the ball rebound off the far post.
Despite those promising signs, City doubled their lead on the 25-minute mark when Josh Adam was the beneficiary of the ball falling into his path. The hosts attacked down the left and Justin Hubner did superbly to make the initial challenge as the cross came into the box, but the ball fell to the feet of Adam who couldn’t miss.
The away side should have levelled through Ty Barnett when the attacking midfielder started and finished a move. After picking up the ball on the halfway line, Barnett drove at the City defence before playing it out to Dexter Lembikisa. The full-back spotted Barnett’s run onto the penalty spot and picked him out with a cross into the box, but Barnett didn’t make clean contact with his header and nodded over.
At the other end, Arinbjornsson had to be at his reactive best to thwart City on the counter. Will Dickson was released in space and only had the goalkeeper to beat, but Arinbjornsson sprang into action with a fingertip save to deny the forward.
However, City were able to add number three and also four in quick succession. Michael Hamilton jinked his way into the area and curled into the far corner, before Adam latched onto a long ball over the top and lobbed Arinbjornsson for four.
Wolves did pull one back with virtually the last kick of the half, as Pond fired home from close range after a corner had caused a bit of pinball in the area.
Half-time | Man City 4-1 Wolves
James Collins’ side were quick out of the traps in the second 45 and scored a second of the afternoon just three minutes into the half. Barnett’s free-kick from the left was delivered onto the head of Fraser who made no mistake, nodding beyond the goalkeeper to reduce the deficit to two.
Nathan Fraser heads home for our second 👊#PL2 pic.twitter.com/sR4jFwD0aE
— Wolves Academy (@WolvesAcademy) April 29, 2023
Scicluna’s introduction at the interval made the desired impact as the tenacious midfielder won the ball back in the City half to put Wolves on the attack. Farmer was initially denied by a strong block, before Barnett and Hubner kept the ball alive on the left. Hubner got his head up and crossed beautifully for Fraser who got there ahead of defender and goalkeeper to head in.
However, all of their hard work could have been undone when Hubner gave away a penalty just moments later for a rash challenge on the byline. Adam, on a hat-trick, stepped up from 12 yards, but Arinbjornsson guessed right to save heroically with his legs to keep Wolves alive in the game.
Wolves kept pushing, knowing an equaliser would secure their status in the highest tier of youth football for a second season running. Scicluna thought he’d got the all-important leveller five minutes from time, but the midfielder saw his header from a Lembikisa cross saved by the fingertips of McNamara.
Having played all their fixtures, Wolves sit three points above the drop zone and have a better goal difference than Tottenham Hotspur below, who face West Ham United next Sunday. With the Hammers still not safe themselves and level on points with Wolves, Collins' side have all but secured their place in division one next season, with goal difference and their sandwiched position in between Spurs and West Ham in favour of the old gold.
Full-time | Man City 4-3 Wolves
TEAMS
Man City | McNamara, Agyemang, Charles, Samuel, Taylor, Robertson (Susoho 46), Knight (Mebude 46), Adam, Dickson (Sodje 64), Bobb (Borges 81), Hamilton.
Subs not used | van Sas.
Wolves | Arinbjornsson, Lembikisa, Hubner, Griffiths, Tipton, Pond, Hesketh (Scicluna 46), Hodge, Fraser, Barnett (Birtwistle 72), Farmer (Roberts 90+2).
Subs not used | Kandola, Esen.
