Bristol City 1 Wolves 2 – Report and pictures

Danny Batth was red carded in the 14th minute and head coach Nuno Espirito Santo was sent to the stands shortly afterwards, while Barry Douglas smacked a free kick against the post in a frantic opening to the game.

Bobby Reid opened the scoring for the hosts shortly after half time but Wolves got back into the game when home keeper Frank Fielding saw red for wiping out Matt Doherty and Douglas scored from the resulting free kick.

The Scot turned provider for the incredible winner in the 94th minute with his free kick headed home by Bennett to send 3,500 Wolves fans into ecstasy.

Analysis

Wolves began 2017 with little idea of where they were heading. They will begin 2018 with their Premier League destiny in their own hands – and then some.

At the end of the second anarchic encounter between these two teams in four months, Wolves' oh-so handsome lead at the top of the table is 10 points, writes Tim Spiers at Ashton Gate.

They'd have probably settled for a point at the start of the night – and certainly would have done after 18 minutes, by which point their captain and head coach had both been sent off. Somehow they won all three in what was an astoundingly thrilling finish.

That they came away from here with their considerable lead not just intact but increased was due to the same battling characteristics that have defined their opening half of the season.

Lesser teams would have buckled under the pressure of an in-form home team whose confidence was sky high and whose fanbase whipped up a cracking atmosphere in this top of the table clash.

But Wolves, despite a couple of wobbles, got their basics right, kept it tight and kept it simple. And then Nuno, from his seat in the director's box, made a game-changing substitution when sending on Ivan Cavaleiro, who creativity sparked Wolves into life at a crucial juncture.

It means they've come through two seriously tough tests unscathed and unbeaten. Millwall and Bristol City have thrown everything at Nuno's team on their own patches and haven't been able to land a telling blow.

This is Wolves a team that doesn't do 'lying down'. They just don't know when they're beaten – and if that trend continues they will be celebrating next May.

Perhaps the only thing that's been lacking in this wonderful campaign so far is an 'I was there' moment. Not anymore.

Match report

Nuno made two changes to the team that drew 2-2 at Millwall on Boxing Day, with top scorer Leo Bonatini and captain Danny Batth brought into the side at the expense of Ivan Cavaleiro and Ryan Bennett, who dropped to the bench.

At a packed Ashton Gate there was a spine-tingling atmosphere as the game kicked off between arguably the division's two form sides.

The last time Wolves were here the home supporters booed Lee Johnson's appearance on the big screen before kick off. That was only last April, but Johnson has since overseen a remarkable transformation of the Robins, who dumped Manchester United out of the Carabao Cup here last week.

And the hosts showcased their confidence in the early stages when they pegged Wolves back. John Ruddy was forced into two early saves, the first an excellent fingertip to deny a Jamie Paterson header.

Wolves were having problems containing City from the flanks, with a number of whipped deliveries from both wings testing their defensive rearguard.

And their task was suddenly made a good deal harder when skipper Batth saw red after just 14 minutes. After skilfully skipping past a challenge a heavy touch saw him crash into Hordur Magnusson, initially leading with his studs up. Batth won the ball but referee Bankes had no hesitation in showing a red card. It was the second time this season he had sent a Wolves player off in the first 15 minutes of a match, after dishing out Conor Coady's red at Sheffield United in September.

That was the start of a five-minute period in which it felt like Wolves were unravelling. Nuno appeared to be angry with how counterpart Johnson demanded a red for Batth and then when Jota was fouled inches outside the box the head coach's temper boiled over and he was duly sent to the stands for a second time in two months.

Then to finish off the bedlam Barry Douglas was only inches from giving Wolves the lead from the resulting free kick, with his excellent effort smacking off the upright.

The rest of the half was a game of cat and mouse as defensive-minded Wolves looked to protect their clean sheet while only sporadically breaking through Helder Costa and Diogo Jota who were pretty lonely up front, Bonatini having been the sacrificial lamb when replaced by Ryan Bennett after Batth's red.

Wolves did a good job of restricting space in their third and City were restricted to crosses and corners, although Nathan Baker wasn't far away when he crashed a header over the bar just before half time.

The visitors actually started the second half with a decent spell of possession and with a better pass from Costa, Jota could have been played in.

However, even allowing for their man disadvantage, there was little in the way of inspiration going forward for Wolves and there was an inevitability about Bristol's goal in the 53rd minute, scored by the in-form Bobby Reid who, with Boly out of position, wasn't tracked as a he played a one-two and lashed past Ruddy.

Nuno, who was sat in the director's box but still communicating with his staff, sent on Ivan Cavaleiro. And the Portuguese forward responded by changing the game.

It was his wonderful pass that sent Doherty, on a rare overlap, in on goal – keeper Frank Fielding charged off his line and wiped out the Irishman, who had shown great determination to reach the ball first. If Batth's red card was contentious, this certainly wasn't, and all of a sudden it was 10 v 10 and game on.

Within two minutes Wolves were level. Douglas dug out his inner whip yet again with this free kick beating Steele, whose first touch was to retrieve the ball from his net.

Cavaleiro was on fire. He sent a wicked 25-yard effort just wide and then picked out Saiss with a quite gorgeous pass, with Steele out quickly to block the Moroccan's shot.

Wolves suddenly had options all over Bristol City's third. Their confidence and style returned and with 15 minutes to go they looked the more likely winners, shortly after staring down a barrel with a man disadvantage.

Bristol City had a spell of their own with Aden Flint having the best chance, but his header was too close to Ruddy. Substitute Enobakhare nearly got in at the other end from Saiss' pass but Steele beat him to it.

It looked for all the world it would finish 1-1 but then with just seconds left Douglas' magical left boot picked out the unlikliest of heroes in Ryan Bennett, whose header sparked bedlam in the away end and on the bench.

Key moments

6 – John Ruddy tips the ball just past the post to deny Jamie Paterson's glancing header.

14 – RED CARD – Danny Batth is sent off for a foul on Hordur Magnusson.

19 – Nuno is sent to the stands by referee Peter Bankes for arguing with the officials.

20 – Barry Douglas is inches away from giving Wolves the lead but his free kick from the edge of the box smacks off the post.

53 – GOAL – No one tracks the run of BOBBY REID who plays a one-two and drives a 15-yard shot past Ruddy.

64 – RED CARD – Doherty's played in by Cavaleiro, keeper Frank Fielding races out his box, wipes him out and is sent off.

66 – GOAL – And from the resulting free kick BARRY DOUGLAS whips it past new keeper Luke Steele via a deflection.

94 – GOAL – Douglas' free kick is headed in RYAN BENNETT for a sensational winner

Line ups

Bristol City (4-4-1-1): Fielding; Wright (c), Flint, Baker, Magnusson (Taylor, 78); Brownhill (Eliasson, 79), Pack, Smith, Bryan; Paterson (Steele, 65); Reid. Subs: Woodrow, Kelly, Vyner, Leko.

Goal: Reid (53)

Red card: Fielding (64)

Wolves (3-4-3): John Ruddy; Batth (c), Coady, Boly; Doherty, Saiss, Neves, Douglas; Costa (Cavaleiro, 62), Bonatini (Bennett, 17), Jota (Enobakhare 87). Subs: Norris, Hause, N'Diaye, Gibbs-White.

Goals: Douglas (66), Bennett (94)

Red card: Batth (14)

Attendance: 25,540 (3,442 Wolves fans)

Referee: Peter Bankes

League position

1st (58 points from 25 matches) currently 55