A young Wolves side overcame Tamworth to progress to the second round of the Birmingham Senior Cup 2-1 at The Lamb.

Wolves took a fifth minute lead in their first attack when Nathaniel Mendez-Laing bundled home after keeper Danny Alcock parried his initial first-time effort following a pass from Nathan Rooney.

Visiting keeper Daniel East saved from Richard Tait while Bradley Pritchard fired over and Simon Russell twice went close. East also denied Russell from an overhead kick and saw a free-kick sail wide.

Wolves threatened little in between, the highlight being Ashley Hemmings heading off target.

Tamworth continued to threaten and Gokhan Ulker headed wide.

Pritchard hit the post as Tamworth pressed again before Wolves finally appeared to wake up.

The visitors saw two chances go begging as Hemmings fired wide and Kyle Bennett lashed a shot narrowly over.

Hemmings doubled Wolves’ lead with his second successive reserve team strike when he dispossessed Michael Wylde and slotted home.

Tamworth pulled one back with four minutes remaining, Wylde heading home from a corner, but Wolves held on.

Tamworth: Alcock, Tait, Blackwood (Lyttle 77), Wylde, Pritchard, Mills, Lake-Gaskin, Ulker (Briscoe 63), MacKenzie, Russell, Gaughan.

Wolves: East, Metcalf, Price, Malone, Parsonage, Rooney, Mendez-Laing (McAlindon 71), Bennett (Ismail 82), Hemmings, Spray, Szabo (Harris 58). Sub not used: Landell.

Referee: M Perry. Attendance: 292.

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Richard Taundry made his comeback after almost two months out as Walsall reserves went down 4-2 at Sheffield Wednesday last night.

The midfielder had been sidelined since pulling a hamstring at Tranmere in early September.

Alex Nicholls and Josh O’Keefe netted for the Saddlers and assistant boss Martin O’Connor was delighted at Taundry’s comeback.

“Richard Taundry got some much-needed match action under his belt, while Clayton McDonald played the full 90 minutes and Alex Nicholls scored a good goal,” he said.

Walsall: Oxley, Westlake, Keenan, McDonald, Partridge; Geddes, Taundry (Davies), Adkins, O’Keefe; Grigg (Paterson), Nicholls. Subs not used: Hickman, Cooney.