Report by Matt Abbott
Wolves came from behind late on to snatch all three points in their opening match of the Premier League Cup against Hull City at New Bucks Head.
Elliot Watt cancelled out Keane Lewis-Potter’s volleyed opener with a sumptuous free-kick in the first-half before Benny Ashley-Seal thumped in a late winner to complete the turnaround.
A scrappy opening period was brought to life by the visitors when a whipped delivery from Ahmed Salam was followed up with an emphatic volley by Lewis-Potter that crashed in off the upright leaving Andreas Sondergard frozen to the spot.
Wolves were ever so close to equalizing when a Ryan Giles corner was met not once but twice by the head of Ashley-Seal but on both occasions the forward saw his goal bound effort clawed away by the visiting rear-guard.
The response did eventually come, however, and what a response it was before half-time. After Ashley-Seal was upended on the very edge of the box, Watt made the ensuing finish look as easy as a spot kick by whipping the ball up and over the wall leaving Hull City’s David Robson helpless between the sticks.
The break stunted the momentum Wolves had built up as, despite controlling the ball, it took them a while to get back into their stride in the second half.
A stagnant fifteen minutes was ended by the lively Giles down the left who went close to breaking the deadlock when, after exchanging passes inside with Pedro Goncalves, he fired his effort just wide of the near post.
But it was Ashley-Seal who reawakened the contest with a superb solo effort to secure victory for Wolves ten minutes from time. After driving up the pitch and faced with three defenders he pulled to the right before unleashing a strike from just outside the area that flew across the ‘keeper and into the bottom corner of his net.
MOMENT OF THE MATCH
Benny Ashley-Seal’s late winner comes close, but it has to go to Elliot Watt’s equalizing free-kick. It had dip, it had whip and it had the visiting goalkeeper clutching at thin air as it whisked past him into his net.
QUOTES
After that late winner, Wolves manager Rob Edwards said: “Tonight was about winning the game but also trying to win it in the way that we play.
“The free-kick from Elliot [Watt] was a real bit of class that got us back into the game at 1-1 and we continued to dominate possession, but it’s goals that count so I’m really pleased we got the second one when Benny [Ashley-Seal] came up with a good individual goal again.”
COMING UP
Wolves are in cup action again next time out as they travel to Mansfield in the Checkatrade Trophy on Tuesday evening, before returning to league action with a trip to the south coast where they will face Radhi Jaïdi’s Southampton.
NEXT FIVE
09/10 Mansfield (A)
19/10 Southampton (A)
26/10 Manchester United (H)
02/11 Stoke City (A)
06/11 Lincoln City (A)
TEAMS
Wolves: Sondergard, Iorfa, Molberg, John, Thompson, Watt, Alves, Giles (Richards 88’), Heredia (Samuels 74’), Ashley-Seal (Sauvage 79’), Goncalves
Unused subs: Beasley, Diallo
Hull City: Robson, Fleming, Ritson, Mazuch (Thacker 45’), Jacob, Smith, Sheaf, Hickey, Salam (Chadwick 45’), Holmes, Lewis-Potter
Unused subs: Cartwright, Powell, Greaves
