Report | Wolves 1-2 Newcastle

Wolves are left searching for their first league win of the season after falling to a 2-1 defeat to Newcastle United on a frustrating afternoon at Molineux.

The home side had taken the lead in the first half through Mario Lemina, after Jorgen Strand Larsen crossed into the box and Joao Gomes left the ball for his midfield partner to tap home.

But Newcastle came back strongly in the second half and equalised through a deflected long-range shot from Fabian Schar, before the Magpies claimed all three points after Harvey Barnes’ shot curled into the top corner of the net from outside the box.

Newcastle came into the game with an unbeaten start to their Premier League season and were on the front foot in the first five minutes, but Wolves defended compactly, limiting any early chances for the Magpies.

It didn’t take long for Newcastle’s first effort on target, when Alexander Isak slipped Jacob Murphy in down the middle. His shot drew a fingertip save from Sam Johnstone who was making his home debut.

Wolves were largely pegged back into their own half in the early stages of the match, but a searching cross-field pass from Craig Dawson found Nelson Semedo out wide, who cut inside, only for his low shot to be easily collected.

Newcastle continued to dominate, but Wolves proved organised and resolute, with the midfield of Lemina, Joao Gomes and Andre – making his first start for the Old Gold – growing into the game, while Matheus Cunha offered a willing runner.

With chances for both sides few and far between, Anthony Gordon almost created something out of nothing when he ran down the left, beating Yerson Mosquera and curling a shot towards the back post, with the England winger only denied by the woodwork.

Moments later, it was Wolves’ turn, as Semedo received the ball in the Newcastle box and skipped past two Newcastle defenders to reach the byline before cutting the ball back to Cunha, whose effort was blocked. Jean-Ricner Bellegarde sought to take the initiative shortly after, picking up the ball in midfield and driving for goal, with his effort sailing over the bar.

As Wolves continued to grow into the game, Andre played a delightful ball from his own half out to Semedo, who had Mosquera marauding down the right wing, but the Colombian hammered his shot over.

Whilst the momentum was shifting to the home side, a last-ditch tackle was needed from Rayan Ait-Nouri, after Dan Burn got in ahead of Cunha in the Magpies’ half, playing in Isak down the centre. The forward sought out Murphy, driving into the box, but Ait-Nouri was on hand to thwart the danger.

The deadlock was broken in the last ten minutes of the half with a lovely break from the home side. The ever-industrious Gomes won the ball in his own third and played it out to Cunha. The new number ten passed into Strand Larsen, who shrugged off his defender and played an inviting cross into the Newcastle box, which Gomes cleverly stepped over for Lemina waiting behind him to tap in.

While Gordon provided a constant threat for the Magpies, it was Wolves who ended the half strongly. Lemina found himself the furthest man forward in the dying moments, and after Andre nicked the ball and played into Lemina’s feet, the captain tried to find Cunha in the box, but the ball rebounded back to him and his shot went wide.

After Newcastle’s dominant start, Wolves had grown into the game on the back of Lemina’s first goal of the campaign.

Half-time | Wolves 1-0Newcastle

Newcastle made three changes at the start of the half, looking to get back on the front foot, with Sandro Tonali immediately getting into the action with a shot from outside the box that drew a save from Johnstone.

As with the first half, the away side started the brighter, piling on the pressure in Wolves’ half and Johnstone nearly got caught out with the ball at his feet as Gordon pounced.

The warning signs were there for Wolves, but the home side galvanised when Lemina played in Strand Larsen in the box and the striker’s shot hit the outside of the post. Shortly after, Cunha did what he does best, driving with the ball from midfield, playing in Semedo, who delivered into the box, but the cross was easily cleared.

As Wolves looked to push the visitors back, Lemina found himself out wide, from where he delivered an inviting ball into the box for Strand-Larsen. The number nine dropped off the shoulder of Dan Burn to head towards goal, but Nick Pope made a routine save.

Newcastle continued to press but failed to really trouble Wolves’ defence with Burn’s looping header from a free kick which landed on the top of the net fizzling out to nothing.

Once more, it was the lively Cunha who provided Wolves’ attacking impetus, picking the ball up and setting out on another decisive run, which ended with a shot that drew a near-post save from Pope.

But it was the Magpies who were celebrating after 75 minutes when Schar’s long-range effort took a deflection off Dawson to beat Johnstone in the Wolves goal and see the hosts’ lead cut. And it took only four minutes more for Newcastle to turn the game around, as Barnes drove inside and struck into the top corner from outside of the box.

With Wolves searching for a goal, Newcastle looked to put the game to bed, with a quick break that saw Sandro Tonali’s shot saved down low by Johnstone, but it was Wolves who were playing with some much-needed urgency in the final few minutes, and Cunha’s acrobatic effort had to be saved by Pope.

Mosquera had pushed forward in the final minute and turned and shot but the ball came off Dawson, which left just one final chance for Newcastle as Barnes broke but he failed to increase the visitor's lead.

Full-time | Wolves 1-2 Newcastle

Wolves | Johnstone, Semedo (Doherty, 76), Mosquera, Dawson, Ait-Nouri (Forbs, 85), Andre (Doyle, 76), Lemina, J. Gomes, Bellegarde (Hwang, 69), Cunha, Strand Larsen (Guedes, 85).

Subs | Sa, Bueno, Sarabia, R. Gomes.

Newcastle | Pope, Schar, Joelinton (Tonali, 45), Gordon, Isak (Barnes, 45), Hall, Livramento (Trippier, 63), Murphy, Burn, Longstaff (Willock, 45), Guimaraes (Kelly, 86).

Subs | Dubravka, Krafth, Osula, Almiron.

Report by Jade Craddock.