West Brom U23's 0 Wolves U23's 4 - Report
A dominant display from Wolves under-23s handed them local bragging rights over Albion’s under-23s in a Premier League 2 Division 2 clash at Telford’s New Bucks Head.
The first big chance fell to Albion when Tom Fellows was found in space on the left flank and his strong low effort clipped the outside of the far post, with goalkeeper Andreas Sondergaard beaten.
Wolves were putting some nice passages of play together, however, and Taylor Perry almost found an opening when Luke Cundle picked him out on the edge of the box – but his effort was blocked.
They should have taken the lead, too, when Chem Campbell had a free header from five yards. Dexter Lembikisa did superbly well to pick him out on the right but Campbell headed over the bar. Shortly after, the energetic Cundle had a good effort saved.
Wolves were on top and a wonderful through ball from Perry had the pacy Hugo Bueno racing down the left. He cut inside and curled an effort towards the far post, which was just wide.
A low drive from Rayhaan Tulloch was a whisker wide of the post as Albion occasionally threatened.
The biggest chance of the half then fell to Perry as Wolves skipped past Albion’s offside trap. The midfielder was through, with Cundle for support and two-on-one with the defender, but chose to shoot and blazed it over the bar.
Wolves took the lead on the stroke of half-time when Albion goalkeeper Ted Cann spilled a Campbell free-kick and Lee Harkin reacted quickest to finish from close range.
Wolves started quickly at the start of the second half as Lembikisa and Perry both saw efforts cleared off the line.
Just 10 minutes into the half, Wolves did finally double their lead. Toti Gomes had a good header saved from a corner, before fellow centre-back Christian Marques stepped up to finish from a couple yards out.
The visitors’ superior fitness and technical ability meant they were dominating proceedings and after an hour, Cundle should have added a third. Bueno did expertly well down the left to skip past his man and reach the byline in the box. He cut the ball back to Cundle from 10 yards, but he blazed over.
Lembikisa then rattled the crossbar with a rocket of a shot as Wolves kept probing.
Albion were struggling to get a foothold in the game as Wolves passed it around with ease and regularly found their wing-backs in space.
Wolves then finally found their third goal as substitute Harry Birtwistle set it up only minutes after coming on. He did well down the right to find a precise low cross for Harkin who netted his second of the night.
As the game ticked into added time substitute Joe Hodge added a fourth from 12 yards after a flowing Wolves move.
It was a comfortable finish for Wolves who managed the game well and looked after the ball to secure a dominant win in the Black Country derby.
Wolves: Sondergaard, Mosquera, Marques, Gomes, Lembikisa (Birstwistle, 79), Cundle, Griffiths (Hodge, 87), Perry, Bueno, Campbell, Harkin (Carty, 82).
Subs not used: Hubner, Tipton.
West Brom: Cann, M.Richards, Taylor, Ashworth, Ingram, Castro (King, 72), Andrews, Fellows, R.Richards (Malcolm, 61), Cleary, Tulloch (Teixeira, 80).
Subs not used: Chisholm.
