Wolves 3 (Hesketh PEN 54, Farmer 60, Fraser 70) Crystal Palace 2 (Umeh 69, Ola-Adebomi 90)
Wolves under-21s earned their first win of the Premier League 2 season at the fourth time of asking with a 3-1 victory over Crystal Palace on transfer deadline day.
Owen Hesketh’s penalty put Wolves ahead just after the break before Owen Farmer added a second with a stunning long-range strike moments later. Despite Palace hitting back, Nathan Fraser headed in to give his side their two-goal advantage back, before the visitors struck late to make it a nervy ending, however, the development side were able to hold on for all three points.
Wolves were the dominant side during the opening 45 minutes at New Bucks Head, as the boys in Old Gold created several chances as they looked to take a lead into the break.
Fin Ashworth, making his under-21 debut, made space for himself with a run into the box before flashing a right-footed shot across goal, but it raced just the wrong side of the post.
Moments later, Wolves could have opened the scoring once again. Justin Hubner was found on the edge of the box following a corner, but after good footwork to control the ball, he was unable find the target.
The best chance of the first-half fell to the feet of Mason Rees, who – fresh off signing a new contract with the club – tested the Crystal Palace goalkeeper from 12 yards out, flashing a shot on target which Jackson Izquierdo pushed away.
As the half wore on, Wolves continued to press in an attempt to break the deadlock. Although Nathan Fraser got his effort on target, the limp shot was comfortable for Izquierdo, while Hesketh shot wide from long-range.
Half-time | Wolves 0 Palace 0
Wolves came out in the second half with the same intensity which they ended the first and were rewarded from the penalty spot.
With less than ten minutes on the clock following the break, Farmer used his pace and trickery to burst into the box before being bundled over from behind.
Hesketh was the man tasked with dispatching the penalty which he did calmly, slotting the spot kick into the far-right corner of the net to send the Palace keeper the wrong way.
Just six minutes later Wolves made it two-nil with a well worked Farmer goal. Having been fouled for the penalty, the forward made no mistake with a clever finish after picking up the ball in the centre of the pitch, racing towards the edge of the box and letting fly from 20 yards into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.
Palace thought they had got themselves back into the match with 20 minutes left on the clock. Just moments after coming off the bench, Franco Umeh had halved the deficit for the visitors after putting the finishing touches to a mazey run around several Wolves defenders and slotting the ball under Joe Young.
But Wolves immediately responded to regain their goal-goal lead. Farmer intercepted a pass deep in the Palace half before crossing for Fraser, who rose higher than the defence to his nod home from the centre of the penalty box.
The hosts were denied going three goals ahead after Izquierdo produced an outstanding double stop to firstly deny Ethan McLeod who had made room in the box before getting a shot away, but Ashworth was first to the ball, but again the keeper got down to push away his effort.
However, Wolves made it a nervous ending after Ademola Ola-Adebomi was found inside the hosts’ penalty area, before taking a touch to control and then firing it low past Young on the turn.
Full-time | Wolves 3 Palace 2
COMING UP
Wolves under-21s head out on an international break after today’s game, so won’t be back in action until 12 days’ time when James Collins’ side take on Notts County in their opening group stage game of the EFL Trophy.
NEXT FIVE
· 12/09 Notts County (A) EFL Trophy
· 19/09 Norwich City (A) PL Cup
· 24/09 Liverpool (A)
· 02/10 Leeds United (H)
· 06/10 Bournemouth (H)
TEAMS
Wolves | Young, Kaleta, Kandola, Hubner, Keto-Diayawa (Voice 87), Rees (Harper 74), Ashworth (Reynolds 86), Birtwistle, Hesketh, Farmer, Fraser (E. McLeod 77).
Unused subs | Arinbjornsson.
Palace | Izquierdo, Imray, Watson (Umeh 61), Sheridan, Grehan, Francis, Devenny, Ola-Adembomi, Wells-Morrison, Ebiowei (Raymond 61), Akinwale (Mathurin 77).
Unused subs | Gregory, Eze.
