Wolves under 21s pay penalty in loss to Sunderland
[gallery]Liam McAlinden missed a penalty as Wolves Under-21s fell to a disappointing 2-0 defeat against Sunderland at a windswept Compton.
The visitors made most of the early running and it wasn't until the ninth minute that the Sunderland goal was threatened with keeper Joel Dixon diving to take Lee Evans's 25-yard drive.
Dixon did fumble a cross from new-boy Kortney Hause but a defender was on hand to clear the loose ball.
In the 19th minute Wolves were awarded a penalty when Matt Doherty was felled by Liam Agnew but McAlinden's spot-kick lacked power and Dixon dived to his left to save.
Aaron McCarey saved a long distance effort from Connor Oliver but the keeper was at fault as Sunderland moved into a 35th-minute lead. He cleared the ball straight to George Honeyman who quickly slipped a pass to Agnew and he had the easy task of converting into the empty net.
Oliver had two chances to increase the lead before the break. He ballooned the ball over the bar from a good position but his 30-yard punt at goal in stoppage time was a lot closer.
After the break, Ethan Ebanks-Landell cut out a dangerous cross from Adam Mitchell as centre-forward Jordan Laidler lay in wait, before Sunderland doubled their advantage in the 53rd minute.
Honeyman ran into the box and went down under a challenge from Ebanks-Landell. The referee pointed to the spot and Laidler made no mistake hammering the ball high into the net.
Wolves: McCarey, Doherty, Hause, Davis, Ebanks-Landell, Elokobi, Bancessi, Evans, McAlinden, Keita (Kostrna 45), Forde. Subs not used: Flatt, Reid, Iorfa, Whittall.
Sunderland: Dixon, Cartwright, Ferguson, Oliver (Smith 84), Harrison, Egan, Mitchell (Gooch 84), Agnew, Laidler, Honeyman, Holland (Lawson 80). Subs not used: McNamee, Burke.
