Wolves progressed through to the semi-final of the FA Youth Cup for the first time in 17 years after a valiant 3-1 victory against Brighton & Hove Albion at Molineux.
There was no time to relax for the supporters in attendance at Molineux as both sides started the match with a high intensity. Brighton threatened from the start, commanding the possession, before Tyler Roberts won a penalty for Wolves and Oliver Tipton coolly slotted away to give Wolves an early lead.
Dexter Lembikisa burst down the right wing and whipped a low ball across the face of the goal. Aaron Keto-Diyawa received the pass on the opposite wing and cut it across to Roberts in the area. He set himself up to strike before being taken to the ground by the Brighton defender. Captain Tipton, stepped up to the penalty spot and sent Tommy Reid, in goal, the wrong way placing into the bottom right corner.
Despite conceding early the visitors regained control of the match and levelled the scores. Zak Sturge found himself with space on the right and floated a ball towards a crowded back post. Zak Emmerson rose the highest in the area and headed low past Palmi Arinbjornsson.
Brighton looked to control of the match but Steve Davis’ side defended well and soaked up the pressure.
Nathan Fraser would soon add his name to the scoresheet. The Wolves striker caught onto a loose, looping pass in behind the Brighton defence. Cutting in from the right, the awkward angle proved nothing to him as he stroked the ball underneath Reid to regain the lead for Wolves.
It was almost three for Wolves before half time but Reid got low down the save well from Harry Birtwistle. Fraser found himself with his back to goal on the right and rolled to ball back to the Singaporean to shoot inside the area. Birtwistle shot first time striking low towards the near post. Reid got a strong palm to it to deny a goal from close range.
Half-time | Wolves 2-1 Brighton
The home side were pinned back in the second-half and had to defend in numbers against a flurry of Brighton attacks.
Against the run of play Wolves added a third this time from Harvey Griffiths. Birtwistle received a pass inside the area and jinxed his way to the goal line before shooting on target. Reid saved parrying the ball to Fraser’s feet who lashed at the loose ball. Again, the shot was blocked and fell to Griffiths who, without hesitation, smashed into an open goal from the centre of the penalty area.
It was Brighton’s turn to attack again forcing Wolves to drop and defend. Marcus Ifil opened up space for Brighton on the right and fired a low cross into the area. With men arriving to tap in the cross Kam Kandola did well to backtrack and recover, clearing the ball out.
The pressure relaxed and Davis’ team regained control of the game before having to soak up a final charge by Brighton. The old gold defended harmoniously mirroring their resilient performance and saw the game out to progress through to the semi-finals of the FA Youth Cup and a visit to Old Trafford to take on Manchester United.
Full-time | Wolves 3-1 Brighton
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TEAMS
Wolves: Airnbjornsson, Lembikisa, Kandola, Tipton, Hubner, Keto-Diyawa (Kaleta 90), Birtwistle, Griffiths, Fraser (Farmer 79), Rees, Roberts.
Unused subs: Storer, Mabete, Francis-Burrell, Esen, Ojinnaka.
Brighton: Reid, Nilsson (Ifil 46), Sturge, Kavanagh, McConville, Hinshelwood, Duffus, Chouchane, Emmerson, Moran, Jenks (Baker-Boaitey 72).
Unused subs: Winstanley, Cahill, Gee, Quereshi, Ryan.
