Leeds 2 Wolves 1 - Report and pictures
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A second 2-1 defeat in two games for Wolves - but there was no hard luck story here.more
Leeds created far more chances than Kenny Jackett's goal-shy side, hitting the woodwork twice and going close on numerous occasions.
Several of them fell to Chris Wood, but it was a wondergoal from Sol Bamba and a tidy finish from Toumani Diagouraga that did for Wolves, who were well beaten.
They rallied when George Saville pulled a goal back out of the blue - and should have equalised when Joe Mason was sent through on goal late on.
But otherwise, few clear-cut chances were fashioned as a lack of creativity proved Wolves' undoing once more.
There are just three games remaining of an utterly underwhelming 2015/16 season - and for many the end of the campaign can't come soon enough.
Gone was Wolves' recent defensive rigidity, with Steve Evans' getting plenty of joy in and around the Wolves box.
And despite changes after the break, with Adam Le Fondre and Joe Mason thrown on, Wolves lacked fluidity going forward yet again.
There was one change to the side that so cruelly lost at Hull on Friday night, with captain Danny Batth shaking off an illness to replace Sylvain Deslandes, with Dominic Iorfa and Matt Doherty switching to right back and left back respectively.
On a glorious early spring evening in Yorkshire Wolves made a bright start.
George Saville sidefooted wide from 20 yards after James Henry's cross was cleared, and there was some nice interplay in the Leeds third of the field.
Then came the first of Wood's chances - he let fly from 20 yards and the shot cannoned off the post and wide.
Wolves then created an excellent opportunity when Bjorn Sigurdarson beat the offside trap down the left and crossed to Henry, whose disappointing volley from 10 yards bobbled harmlessly wide.
Henry then broke from midfield and lined up a shot - it rebounded towards the lurking David Edwards but keeper Marco Silvestri grabbed the loose ball in the nick of time.
Wood, clearly full of confidence after scoring twice in the 3-2 win over Reading at the weekend, fancied his chances with a 30-yard free kick and after putting his laces through it the ball whistled wide.
Jeremy Helan's cross was then just missed by the diving Sigurdarson to cap what had been a lively opening 20 minutes.
But thereafter Leeds took charge - and Wolves went into their shells.
Wood was presented with his best chance of the half, but couldn't turn Football League Young Player of the Year Lewis Cook's cross past Carl Ikeme from point blank range, with the keeper making a comfortable save.
And then once more before the break Wood again went close, curling wide from 18 yards after bustling clear of Batth.
There was time for Lee Erwin to bend one around the post as Leeds ended the first period well on top, with Wolves descending into 'uninspiring' territory after that initial promising start.
No doubt fuelled by a rocket from their boss at half time, Wolves and in particular Matt Doherty showed excellent intent at the start of the second half when he embarked on a breathtaking mazy run, cutting inside from the left and skipping past a couple of challenges before lashing wide from 18 yards.
But after that Leeds began to bombard Ikeme's box with crosses. And on 55 minutes Jackett changed his team's shape, switching to 4-4-2 and sending on Adam Le Fondre in place of Helan.
The hosts continued to dominate - and they deservedly took the lead on the hour mark with a wondergoal from Bamba.
The ball dropped to the centre half just outside the Wolves box, he chested, let the ball bounce and then drove a thunderous half volley into the top corner.
It was a screamer of a strike from the home captain and Elland Road duly erupted.
And it wasn't long before the home fans were again on their feet celebrating again - four minutes later in fact.
Cook was allowed to pull the ball back from the right byline and picked out Diagouraga who was unmarked 12 yards out to sweep past Ikeme.
Wolves immediately fashioned a chance to reduce the deficit, but a sliding Edwards couldn't connect properly with Henry's drilled cross.
Joe Mason then replaced Bjorn Sigurdarson, whose goal drought in a Wolves shirt has now extended to more than 28 hours of football, stretching back to August 2013.
With 13 minutes left a comeback looked unlikely - but then out of the blue the visitors pulled a goal back against the run of play.
Henry picked out Saville on the edge of the box and he used his weaker right foot to curl a tidy finish into the corner.
The game was opening up and Leeds were inches away from restoring their two-goal advantage when substitute Jordan Botaka let fly from 20 yards and the ball bounced off the underside of the bar and to safety.
Back came Wolves and they fashioned a golden chance for 2-2 with just eight minutes left - Mason was through on goal alongside Bamba, but under pressure he put his shot too close to Silvestri.
Leeds were very good value for their lead and they almost made it 3-1 when Stuart Dallas curled a beauty just over the bar in an entertaining finish to the game.
Wolves chucked big numbers forward chasing an equaliser, with their best opportunity coming just a minute from the 90-minute mark when a Henry corner flashed right across the face of goal, begging for a touch.
And that was that, with the hosts seeing out stoppage time with relative ease as Wolves slipped to a second consecutive 2-1 away defeat.
Leeds (4-3-3): Silvestri; Berandi, Cooper, Bamba (c), Taylor; Cook, Diagouraga, Murphy (Bridcutt, 81), Coyle (Dallas, 57), Wood, Erwin (Botaka, 74). Subs: Peacock-Farrell, Bellusci, Phillips, Antenucci.
Goals: Bamba (60), Diagouraga (64)
Wolves (4-3-3): Ikeme; Iorfa, Batth (c), Hause, Doherty; Edwards, Price, Saville; Henry, Sigurdarson (Mason, 73), Helan (Le Fondre, 55). Subs: Martinez, Deslandes, Coady, Hunte, Enobakhare.
Goal: Saville (77)
Attendance: 17,694 (478 Wolves fans)
Referee: David Coote (Nottinghamshire)
