U21 report | Wolves 1-1 Fulham

5th September 2022

Wolves 1 (Campbell 81) Fulham 1 (Harris 75)

Chem Campbell’s stunning strike nine minutes from time helped Wolves come from behind to earn a deserved point against Fulham, in a match the hosts shaded for the majority.

James Collins’ side were much the better outfit but, having been denied by Cottagers goalkeeper George Wickens on numerous occasions, the visitors snuck ahead when Luke Harris struck. However, the old gold showed their character when Campbell fired home via the underside of the crossbar, and could have won it late on, had Hugo Bueno not been denied by the same piece of woodwork.

Back to PL2 action after their Papa John’s Trophy exploits last week, Collins’ side continued that positivity during the opening stages, when Harry Birtwistle enjoyed two sights of goal. First, the Singaporean shot wide from distance, before being played in down the right and having his low effort saved by the feet of Wickens in the Fulham goal.

It was that same man who stopped Wolves taking the lead just before the half hour mark as well. A flowing Wolves move, which saw Connor Ronan feed Bueno was brilliant, and the left-back’s cross was arrowed on to the head of Lee Harkin, who met it firmly, but watched the outstretched arm of Wickens deny him incredibly, despite the stopper moving in the opposite direction.

From the resulting corner, Ronan’s in swinging corner had Dickens worried momentarily, but he was grateful to see it bounce off the top of the crossbar. From another Ronan set piece, Wolves came close again, as penalty appeals for a possible pull back on Campbell were turned away, before Harvey Griffiths was denied at the back post.

Throughout the opening period, Wolves looked a threat down the left, with Bueno a constant option to Campbell on the overlap, but on 41 minutes the winger cut inside himself and sensed an opportunity, but his effort from range was sliced wide from distance.

Half-time | Wolves 0-0 Fulham

The best chance of the opening ten minutes of the second period belonged to Wolves too. After an initial free-kick came to nothing, Joe Hodge recycled possession and slipped Birtwistle in, but the Wolves number seven aimed for the near post and was denied by Wickens once again.

However, for all Wolves’ positive play, it was the visitors who eventually found the breakthrough with 15 minutes. A speculative ball into the box beat both Ollie Tipton and Dexter Lembikisa in the air, which benefited Harris, who turned the Wolves right-back and fired in at the near post, beyond the dive of Smith.

That lead wouldn’t last long, however. Campbell had been a threat all evening, and once he exchanged passes with Bueno once again, he took matters into his own hands, winding up a piledriver from 25 yards out and he watched it fly off his boot and cannon off the underside of the crossbar and beyond the motionless Wickens between the Fulham sticks.

From there, the heavens opened, and in the torrential Kidderminster rain, Wolves almost won it in the final minute as the ball fell nicely for Bueno, and the Spaniard tried his luck with a crisp drive which came back off the top of the crossbar, denying Wolves a victory which their play arguably merited.

Full-time | Wolves 1-1 Fulham

COMING UP

Wolves under-21s end the week how they started it, in PL2 action at Aggborough, as Everton come to town.

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