Wolves under-21s were beaten by a clinical Manchester City outfit at Compton Park on Sunday afternoon.
The PL2 encounter showed some early promise for James Collins’ side, who took the lead through skipper Joe Hodge after just 11 minutes. However, Kian Breckin’s equaliser six minutes later and a brace from Adedire Mebude condemned the old gold to defeat, despite the home team creating a whole host of opportunities throughout the 90 minutes.
Man City came into the game in third place, only behind first and second on goals scored. It was the visitors who threatened first inside the opening 60 seconds as Mebude tested the gloves of Andreas Sondergaard who was equal to an arrowed attempt that was heading into the top-right corner.
Wolves responded well and broke the deadlock when two former City players, Harvey Griffiths and Hodge, combined on 11 minutes. Tyler Roberts did well to drift his way inside before his blocked shot fell to Griffiths who punched a first-time pass into the feet of Hodge – the midfielder took one touch and then drilled a low effort out of reach of Mikki Van Sas.
Two former Man City players combine!
— Wolves Academy (@WolvesAcademy) October 2, 2022
Harvey Griffiths plays in Joe Hodge to give us the lead.
🎓⚽️ pic.twitter.com/aDo71zdiGp
It didn’t take long for City to respond, however, as a cut back was swept into the back of the net by the boot of Breckin who was there to level proceedings.
Collins’ men came close to regaining the lead when Hodge found space on the right-hand side before whipping in a dangerous delivery towards the front post, but Nathan Fraser couldn’t quite divert the ball on target after making contact in the centre.
The visitors turned the game around on the 25-minute mark to take the advantage for the first time. Mebude manoeuvred his way in from the right and after cutting inside Hugo Bueno, struck a left-footed attempt that took a deflection and found the corner, with Sondergaard unable to stretch across.
Wolves built up some pressure as the half-time whistle approached, looking to bring the game level once again. A pacy run and backheel from Roberts allowed Hodge to cross into the centre where Fraser’s header was deflected wide.
The right-hand side became a productive area for Wolves to create their opportunities. Dexter Lembikisa’s overlap opened space to cross and his ball to Chem Campbell at the back post was inch-perfect, but the winger didn’t connect with the volley.
Once again, a clever passage of play on the right saw Roberts threaded in behind before he pulled the ball back for Hodge whose effort was deflected inches wide of the post. Wolves kept the ball alive from the resulting corner as Campbell jinked his way inside and fired into gloves of Van Sas.
Half-time | Wolves 1-2 Man City
Wolves made a positive start to the second half as Hodge was unselfish to lay the ball off to Conor Ronan who saw the goalkeeper equal to his firm attempt at near post, pushing the ball around the post for a corner. And from that, Fraser made first contact with his had but the ball dropped inches wide of the far post just as Wolves thought they’d found a leveller.
The visitors delivered a killer blow minutes later, adding a third through Mebude who netted his second of the afternoon. After finding space on the right-hand side, the City number seven fired beyond Sondergaard to give the away side a two-goal advantage.
However, Wolves weren’t going to lie down, and they continued to create chance after chance for much of the second half.
Campbell charged at the City defence, before cutting inside and forcing a fingertip save from Van Sas. Much like the opening 45, Wolves found their preferred side of attack in the second and this time it was the left-hand side that was full of threat.
On several occasions, Bueno found himself advanced and in the opposition box to dig out a cross. Lembikisa was waiting at the back post to see his goal bound strike deflected wide of the goal. Bueno produced almost a carbon copy of that cross moments later, this time picking out the head of Yerson Mosquera – he nodded down and thought he’d pulled one back, before Van Sas appeared out of nowhere to claw the ball off the line with a tremendous save.
Campbell found the gloves of the man in between the City sticks after biding his time to cut inside, before generating a similar situation shortly after to bend one just wide of the right-hand post.
Chem Campbell tests the keeper with a curling effort from the edge of the box as we look for a way back into the game.#PL2 pic.twitter.com/0xkR86ulau
— Wolves Academy (@WolvesAcademy) October 2, 2022
Substitutes Alfie Pond and Lee Harkin both entered the field to find themselves on the end of chances. Defender Pond headed over from a Ronan corner, before Harkin forced a save from Van Sas who was also equal to a curling Bueno attempt after the full-back had made strides down the left.
Man City had a glorious opportunity to add a fourth on the break as substitute Carlos Borges looked to seal it, before Hodge raced back and got there in the nick of time to slide in with an incredible recovery challenge.
There was still time for one last Wolves chance as the youngsters in old gold fought until the final whistle. Following another marauding run from Bueno, Harkin’s prodded attempt from inside the 12-yard area was saved by the fingertips of Van Sas who, once again, did enough to keep the hosts at bay.
Full-time | Wolves 1-3 Man City
COMING UP
Wolves under-21s travel to Liverpool next Saturday afternoon, as they look to get back on the winning trail.
NEXT FIVE
- 08/10 Liverpool (A)
- 15/10 Tottenham (H)
- 18/10 Port Vale (A) PJT
- 22/10 Man Utd (A)
- 31/10 Leicester (H)
TEAMS
Wolves | Sondergaard, Lembikisa, Bueno, Mosquera (Pond 76), Tipton (Birtwistle 75), Griffiths, Roberts, Hodge, Fraser (Harkin 56), Ronan, Campbell.
Unused subs | Scicluna, Matheson.
Man City | Van Sas, Carrington, Burns, Taylor, Wilson-Esbrand, Charles, Mebude (Smith 74), Breckin, Dickson (Ogwuru 75), Adam (Knight 60), Bobb.
Unused subs | Borges, Murray-Jones.
