Wolves 4 (Voice 10, Angel 45+1, Holman 64, Edozie 70) Leeds United 1 (Thomas 56)
Wolves under-21s claimed their first Premier League 2 victory of the season following a comprehensive victory over Leeds United at Aggborough.
James Collins’ side scored four goals on an emphatic night for the youngsters, with Caden Voice, Dani Angel, Fletcher Holman and Tom Edozie all getting on the scoresheet.
Wolves started brightly and on the front foot, however it was the visitors who had the first sighting on goal as Lewys Benjamin was forced into a save to his left, before Joseph Richards fired the rebound into the side netting.
It then took the Old Gold just 10 minutes to take the lead and it was defender Voice who found himself in an advanced position to profit. After Angel’s swivel and shot was blocked, Voice was ready and waiting to follow up with a powerful effort that Rory Mahady was unable to keep out despite getting a strong glove to it.
Collins’ players looked to capitalise on the momentum they gained from the opening goal and after working the ball out neatly to the left, Ethan Sutherland was denied well by Mahady following a fierce drive towards goal.
At the other end, Benjamin was forced to get down low to his right after Luca Thomas was afforded space to run to the edge of the penalty area and curl one at goal.
Wolves doubled their advantage in first half stoppage time as goal scorer Voice turned provider as his ball in behind the Leeds defence was chased down by Angel who was sent slightly wide, but was able to fire across goal from a tight angle and into the far corner.
🇪🇸🔥 pic.twitter.com/9RC6WwnGXB
— Wolves Academy (@WolvesAcademy) September 23, 2024
Half-time | Wolves 2-0 Leeds
Wolves had a glorious opportunity to add a third within the first 10 minutes of the second half. Some excellent build-up play saw half-time substitutes Leo Lopes and Holman combine as the latter slid in and hit the post from a cross, before Josh Esen somehow shot wide from a yard out.
And that miss proved costly as, at the other end, Wes Okoduwa conceded a penalty after taking down Thomas inside the area before the same man who won the spot-kick sent Benjamin the wrong way from 12 yards to halve the deficit.
However, the two-goal lead was restored shortly after the hour mark through substitute Holman. Finn Ashworth did superbly to win the ball back in the centre of the park before fellow substitute Lopes played in Holman who expertly dinked the ball over the top of the on-rushing Mahady.
😎 @FletcherHolman9 pic.twitter.com/LFM9wqlKnL
— Wolves Academy (@WolvesAcademy) September 23, 2024
Holman then almost doubled his tally for the night, forcing Mahady into an excellent save to claw the ball out of the top corner, before Edozie got in on the act with number four. Again, it was Lopes with the through ball, this time exquisitely with the outside of his boot, before Edozie rounded Mahady and finished into an open net to make sure of the points.
Full-time | Wolves 4-1 Leeds
COMING UP
Wolves under-21s host Monaco in their first Premier League International Cup fixture of the season at the SEAH Stadium on Thursday evening.
NEXT THREE
- 26/09 Monaco (H) PLIC
- 30/09 Derby (A)
- 04/10 Everton (H)
TEAMS
Wolves | Benjamin, Okoduwa (White 70), Sutherland, Voice, Pond, Ashworth, Esen, Whittingham (Mabete 82), Angel (Holman 46), Barnett (Lopes 46), Edozie (Bradbury 76).
Leeds | Mahady, Richards, Toulson, Debayo (Cresswell 75), Lopata-White, Mullen, Chambers (Vincent 46), Crew, Thomas, Chadwick, McFadden.
Subs not used | Grainger, Monteiro, Moore.
